Harry Potter and the Children of the Night
by Lady Valerius
Summary: UP FOR ADOPTION! Harry receives a package, and it reveals more than you can imagine. Discoveries of a soul-sister, a powerful vampire clan, and another prophecy made centuries before his birth... Well, Harry's sure to have an eventful year...
1. Chapter 1

_**Harry Potter  
&  
The Children of the Night**_  
**- by Lady Nichola Valerius**

_"I fear for my loved ones and for my friends, but I fear not for myself... I do not fear for myself because that is a weakness. I do not fear death and I do not fear pain. It's all a matter of survival..."_

Disclaimer: I own nothing that you can recognize, and everything that you don't. The underlined motto above is from "_The Heir of Corvus_" by Lady-Treason/Becca. Her works are brilliant, and I admit that they are the source of my inspiration to write this fic.

* * *

**Chapter 1  
Sirius: Alive and Kicking!**

"Potter! Get down here, boy!"

Rolling his eyes, the mentioned youngster arose from his perch on the small cot his relatives called a bed and strode out the door. Slowly and silently, he went down the stairs and entered the living room, where his uncle currently sat his beefy-self on the large couch. "Yes, Uncle Vernon?"

The large, pig-like, man jumped, not noticing the arrival of his wife's nephew. Vernon glared at the 15-year-old, before pointing his fat finger at the direction of the low coffee table. Upon a stack of home magazines and an open page of TV guide sat an exotic bird. Air left his lungs as his eyes widened and his body tensed but the stricken boy didn't seem to notice anything else but the tropical bird that was perched in the Dursley's living room.

"Well, boy? Are you going to get your blasted mail or not!" Vernon's voice pierced through his train of thought. Almost mechanically, the dark-haired teen took the package from the bird, and as soon as it was free, it hopped its way over to the doors that led to the kitchen and flew its way out the back door. As soon as the bird was gone, Vernon sent his wife's nephew off to his room. When the door clicked shut, green eyes snapped back into focus and the teenaged wizard sprinted over to his cot. Sitting himself down, he tore the wrappings off the box and found a letter stuck to the surface of the package. Right before he could rip the letter off of its resting place, a loud hoot was heard from a corner of the small room.

Hedwig the owl hooted once more, the sound more comforting than the previous one she made. She ruffled her feathers, making her chest puff up in the graceful way only owls can get away with, and looked at him with her piercing amber-gold eyes. Getting the message she was trying to convey, her master nodded at her thankfully, taking deep, shuddered breaths and chanted mentally: "Calm in, panic out…Calm in, panic out…" He repeated the cycle a few times… then-

_Oh, bugger it all._

He tore through the envelope and carefully took out the folded parchment. Forcing himself to read it from the very beginning, he shut his eyes for a brief moment, then he opened them and began to read.

'_Dear Harry…'_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Harry Potter  
&  
The Children of the Night**_  
**-by Lady Nichola Valerius

* * *

**_Previously, on Harry Potter and the Children of the Night:_

_**Hedwig the owl hooted once more, the sound more comforting than the previous one she made. She ruffled her feathers, making her chest puff up in the graceful way only owls can get away with, and looked at him with her piercing amber-gold eyes. Getting the message she was trying to convey, her master nodded at her thankfully, taking deep, shuddered breaths and chanted mentally: "Calm in, panic out…Calm in, panic out…" He repeated the cycle a few times… then-**_

_**Oh, bugger it all.**_

_**He tore through the envelope and carefully took out the folded parchment. Forcing himself to read it from the very beginning, he shut his eyes for a brief moment, then he opened them and began to read.**_

'**_Dear Harry…'_****

* * *

**

**Chapter 2  
****Harry's Twin**

'_Dear Harry,_

_No need to worry, kid, although if you're anything like James, then I reckon that you've worried yourself sick. I'm in Italy, or more precisely, Milan. The Zabini's have been kind enough to give me shelter until September, where I will then escort their son, Blaise, to Hogwarts. Why am I with the Zabini's, you ask? Funny story that one… The Veil that I fell through was an invention of André Zabini, Dominic's father, who is Blaise's papa. The other end of the Veil is here in their mansion, hidden in a secret room near the kitchens. One of their house-elves, Peachy, found me (absolutely adores me that one). Ceilya, the eldest of the children, has taken a liking to me and has been nursing me back to health. She even made me give up that beard I was trying to grow… women…_

_Well, enough of my rantings. How's my favorite godson? Not that I have any other godsons, mind you, but still… Well, I hope you're doing fine, kid. I am. I actually gained some weight, what with Ceilya feeding me nonstop since I got out. Are the Dursleys feeding you? If not, tell me and I'll drop by and give them a piece of my mind._

_By the way, how's Remus? Don't worry, I'll be sending him a letter too. And I hope you got my present in good condition. I'm going to leave a note on how to work in before I wrap the box. I hope you'll like them. It turns out that the Zabini's are related to you. Blaise is your third cousin, I think, from your father's side. The gift is from all of us here. It's a Potter family heirloom, and it's supposed to help the family heir through difficult times. Since Blaise is the Zabini heir, you get to have this. An advance birthday gift, if you will._

_I have to go…it's already dinner time here, and if I'm not down soon, Ceilya's sure to tear the manor apart just looking for me. I'll see you soon kid. I promise._

_Sirius'_

Harry fell onto his bed, the letter floating down to the ground. Silence reigned loudly in Harry's room. For a long time, the Boy-Who-Lived just stared at the fallen letter, his thoughts blank. His gaze turned to the package, and he ripped the wrappings off, the almost violent sound bouncing off the walls. Opening the box, he found the promised note speared through a needle on top of a small sphere-like device that stood on clawed feet, gray mist swirling inside. He grabbed the note, greedy for more of Sirius' letters, if just to prove that he really was alive. He didn't notice that the needle had scraped his finger, droplets of red blood flowing down the slim piece of protruding metal into the sphere. He read the next letter, not noticing the sphere glow dimly as his blood mixed with the mist.

'_Harry,_

_This is called a 'Helper'. It exists in most pureblood families, the old ones anyway. I have one, the Zabini's have one, even the Malfoy's have one. The Weasley's, for obvious reasons, do not have one. Anyway, the Helper, err… helps the chosen heir, most usually, the first patriarch who received it made the heir a male, with their lifetime difficulties. It depends on the heir's problems actually. All I know is that it will never harm the heir or anyone else unless it wants to cause the heir harm. So it's like… what do those Muggles call it? A sporsesuit? I think it was... anyway… it **will **protect you. All you have to do is prick your finger on the needle where you found this note speared through. Then it'll give you your solution. That's how my father described it to me before- Anyway; I hope you find it useful. Be safe._

_Sirius'_

This… This proved it. Harry jumped up, giving a large whoop of joy. "He's alive! He's alive!" he kept saying, a smile on his face, jumping around his room. When his Aunt Petunia opened the door to his room to see what the commotion was all about, Harry paused to look at her, before wrapping his arms around her waist and spinning her around the small room, saying, "He's alive!" over and over again. When he set Petunia down, she scampered out his room, frightened. Harry was oblivious to everything but his happiness. He never noticed the light in the sphere slowly glowing brighter and brighter each moment. He never noticed the surge of magic that escaped him and flew to his bed, a figure being traced almost immediately as it met with the power of the sphere. He didn't notice the beautiful eyes that opened to his shouts of glee. But he did notice when someone coughed. "Hem, hem."

Spinning around, he whipped his wand out, and pointed it in the direction of the sound. There, on the foot of his small bed, sat a young woman, probably 20 or 21, with long dark hair and an athletic build. She was as pale as he; her skin covered with red silk and silver accessories, along with knives, daggers and long slips of metal that Harry didn't recognize. But what he did recognize was that her eyes were a certain shade of green that he had only ever seen on two people. Him and his mum.

"How-What! Who are you! What do you want!" he asked, suspicious. She raised her hands in a gesture of peace.

"I mean you no harm, Harry," she replied, "You can trust me."

Harry looked at her curiously. Yes, he did trust her. Why? He didn't know but he did. "So who are you?" he asked, still cautious.

The girl looked at him, amused. "I am you." Harry paused, just staring at her. Then-

"Huh?"

The girl chuckled. "Doesn't make sense does it?" Harry shook his head no. "Alright then, think of it this way. There is good and bad, light and dark, yin and yang, peace and war, man and woman. If you are the good, the light, the yang, the peace, the man, then I am the bad, the dark, the yin, the war, the woman. You can't exist without me, and I can't exist without you. We are the opposite of each other. We balance each other. Does _that_ make sense?"

Harry nodded. "Yes, but if that is true, then we should have been born at the same time. Why is it that you just came alive now?" he protested.

"We were. Well, not literally. I am older than you, obviously. I was given life during the ninth moon, the month of the fallen, on its first day. And at the very same day… I died."

"Y-you what?" he stuttered. "But if you died…"

"I was taken from my birth mother by Vampires. They turned me using an Ancient Vampiric blood ritual. It ensured my parents that my blood would be turned and that I would be their full-blooded child. I am a…royal one… so to say," she said.

"What's your name then?" Harry asked, remembering just then.

"I am called _Era-Zana_ Emera Ciana Vitalia Valerius," she said proudly.

Harry's eyebrows rose. "Ok, Era-"

"No… _Era-Zana_ is my title, Harry," she chastised with a smile, "You may call me either Emera or Ciana. Vitalia is my Mother's name. Valerius is our Clan."

"Clan?" Harry asked, his mind fervently racing to find his lessons on Vampires, before remembering that they hadn't taken up the subject in depth.

"Clan Valerius, Harry, is the most prominent clan in the Vampiric realm. We are descendants of the very first Vampire, Lilith. She was said to be the mortal Adam's first wife, before Adam claimed her too… vivacious for him. She walked away from him when she saw that the Creator had replaced her with Eve. The Evil One felt her resentment and used it to lure her to him. She traded her soul in exchange for power and to ensure her Immortality on Gaea."

"Hold on, I'm really confused here. First of all, Adam had a wife before Eve? The Creator is obviously God, and the Evil One is the Devil, but what is Gaea?" Harry asked, really frustrated. Emera smiled.

"And I see that we need our history lesson," she commented. "Don't worry. I now know what I'm here for. You need to learn our ways, and that includes our history. We'll tackle that in a bit, but first thing's first." She leaned over to him, her red dress falling forward, exposing her generous cleavage. Harry's eyes involuntarily drifted down for some reason, and Emera saw yet another fault in him. She smiled widely at him. "Like what you see?"

Harry blushed furiously. "S-sorry-"

"It's ok, I would have worried if you didn't look, Harry." She laughed. "So…" She rubbed her hands together as she leered playfully at him, before asking, rather innocently, "Is there any place we can eat?"


	3. Chapter 3

**_Harry Potter  
&  
The Children of the Night_  
- by Lady Nichola Valerius

* * *

**_Previously, on Harry Potter and the Children of the Night:_

_**Harry's eyebrows rose. "Ok, Era-"**_

"_**No… Era-Zana is my title, Harry," she chastised with a smile, "You may call me either Emera or Ciana. Vitalia is my Mother's name. Valerius is our Clan."**_

"_**Clan?" Harry asked, his mind fervently racing to find his lessons on Vampires, before remembering that they hadn't taken up the subject in depth.**_

"_**Clan Valerius, Harry, is the most prominent clan in the Vampiric realm. We are descendants of the very first Vampire, Lilith. She was said to be the mortal Adam's first wife, before Adam claimed her too… vivacious for him. She walked away from him when she saw that the Creator had replaced her with Eve. The Evil One felt her resentment and used it to lure her to him. She traded her soul in exchange for power and to ensure her Immortality on Gaea."**_

"_**Hold on, I'm really confused here. First of all, Adam had a wife before Eve? The Creator is obviously God, and the Evil One is the Devil, but what is Gaea?" Harry asked, really frustrated. Emera smiled. **_

"_**And I see that we need our history lesson," she commented. "Don't worry. I now know what I'm here for. You need to learn our ways, and that includes our history. We'll tackle that in a bit, but first thing's first." She leaned over to him, her red dress falling forward, exposing her generous cleavage. Harry's eyes involuntarily drifted down for some reason, and Emera saw yet another fault in him. She smiled widely at him. "Like what you see?"**_

**_Harry blushed furiously. "S-sorry-"_**

**_"It's ok, I would have worried if you didn't look, Harry." She laughed. "So…" She rubbed her hands together as she leered playfully at him, before asking, rather innocently, "Is there any place we can eat?"_**

**_

* * *

_**_Author's Note:_

_Incredibly, I've found myself unable to name my titles as I have done previously, therefore, to simplify things, I have decided to 'shorten' my chapter names. LOL!  
Flashbacks are in the order below. –Lady Valerius_

_"Flashback"_

_…__content of flashback…_

_"End Flashback"_

* * *

**Chapter 3  
Emera's Birth**

"Yahh!" CLANG!

"Hah!" PLANG!

"Ahhh!" CRANG!

"Ouch, dammit!"

"Don't be such a baby, Harry…" Emera said, pausing their spar to check on her 'pupil'. She quickly drew her _escrima_ up once more when Harry used the moment to bring his own _escrima_ down on her. Blocking his attack, she kicked him in the stomach, where he caught it and used her leg to twist her around. Slamming into the wall, she threw her head back and hit him on the forehead, causing him to see stars.

"Oww..." Groaning, he squinted at her figure, still against the wall. Digging the wooden battle stick into her side, he whispered, "Give up."

She grinned at the wall. "Never." And with that said, she twirled around him, causing him to lose his grip on her and pull away. The weapon in her hand pushed him down and, drawing her blade, she swung it at his throat. Stopping it by his neck, she whispered cockily, "Give up."

Laughing, he nodded his head. Grinning widely, she pulled him up and dusted him off for show. Rolling his eyes at her antics, he pushed her away playfully and ran. "Last one in's a bug-faced troll!" Scoffing in indignation, she quickly ran to the nearest wall and began to scale it. Reaching a window, she cleared her mind and focused on her shadow that showed inside the room. Then the shadow hand moved and unlocked the hatch on the window. She pushed it up, quickly moving into the room and sprinting to the door. Her eyes, originally the same shade of green that Harry possessed, turned lighter until only the dots of her pupils were visible and with that transformation, she went through the door. Upon seeing Harry stumble onto the landing, she redoubled her efforts, moving just a _bit_ faster than the wind, and phased through Harry's bedroom door. The green of her eyes returned as she sat down, thankfully not going through the mattress like the other time she had raced him, and posed as Harry fell onto the door.

"You cheated," he accused her, as the smile on his lips left. She only shrugged, falling tiredly on the bed. Accessing her shadow powers were still exhausting. But hey, that's what practice was for, to build up your stamina on stuff. "You ok?" he asked. She could only nod. For the past week, she had trained Harry in combat and taught him of her Vampiric history, a knowledge passed down from one generation to the next, to keep their history fresh and known to them. The legend was also for Vampires to be proud of their heritage, of what they have become, of what they have to live as for the rest of eternity. Harry's normally pale skin had gone whiter when she told him of the ritual done to become a full-blooded Childe.

_Flashback_

_"How'd it happen?"_

_Emera gave him a look. "Are you sure you want to know?" Harry nodded solemnly. She sighed. "If you say so..." She set down the sword she held, then sat down on the grass. Harry sat across her. Emera stared into his eyes, then, as if satisfied with what she saw, nodded._

_She cleared her throat. "Like I said before, I was born a human, but not even an hour after I was born, my mother took me. My mortal father, Gabriyel, had been a warrior before he died, killed in the final battle of the Goblin War, just when I was being born. My mortal mother, Luz, was a healer. She'd heal ailments like boils, wounds, diseases, the works. Both of them were purebloods._

_My mother stumbled upon her on one of her hunts. She said she had a terrible feeling that something was going to happen to Luz. So she'd stayed and watched Luz as she went through her pregnancy, and the day that she gave birth to me, the final battle of the Goblin War had erupted. It spilled into the village, destroying everything in sight. If it stood, bring it down..._

_My mother, seeing Gabriyel killed when a goblin came inside the house, had rushed into the hut, seized Luz and brought her to our home. Luz had been frightened of everyone there, since she knew that Vampires sometimes fed on mortals... But my mother hushed her and took care of her, giving her herbs that helped lessen the pain of birthing. She had a hard time, since the herbs actually made you numb, inside out. So she didn't know if she was pushing me out, or pulling me back in. Mother said that it took almost 13 hours just waiting for her to bring me out. By that time, Luz was hemorrhaging._

_Mother saw that she was dying and asked her for permission to just take me out of her. Luz told her to save me. Then she died. Mother... uhm... well, she **thrust **her hands into Luz's womb and just pulled me out, to save me. But the herbs had already taken effect, and it was slowly poisoning my body. Mother, she... she remembered what Luz said. Luz didn't tell her to get me, she told mother to save me. So she rushed to father's study, and they did the ceremony, along with mother's brothers, and the coven's elders. And so, here I am."_

_"You're not going to tell me how the ceremony was done?" Harry asked. Emera stiffened, just slightly, but Harry's recent training had taught him to see everything. "Alright, alright... But just... Answer me this: Will I go through the same thing?" Emera hung her head, then nodded. "Will you be doing it to me?" Another nod. "I guess I'm in safe hands then." Emera smiled slightly._

_Harry barely had time to lift his hand before his hand caught the dagger thrown at him. "Up for another round?"_

_End Flashback_

The mattress sank as Harry lay beside her, breathing heavily. "I'm so tired," he said. Emera grunted in agreement. She turned her head and stared at Harry's glowing eyes.

"Do you like it here?" she asked, not for the first time.

Harry lifted himself a bit, resting his weight on his elbow, just to see her clearly. "I thought that anywhere else, even a dirty bathroom, would be heaven compared to the Dursley's house. But this," he motioned around the room, noticeably 7 times larger than Dudley's second bedroom, "Lia, this is paradise." Emera felt her eyes sting. She could not believe what Harry had to go through all these years. _Why did it take her so long to find him?_ Oh, that's right. The blood protection.

Emera let out a choked laugh. "If this is paradise to you, wait 'til you see your new home."

Harry let out a groan. "Why won't you tell me anything about _Casa di Valerii_?" he whined.

Emera smirked. "Because it'll have a better effect on you if you see it all without any primary description." Harry pouted. "Uh-uh, that won't work on me, Potter!"

"Fine! We'll see if I cook for you tomorrow."

"You still owe me a meal from the fight the other day."

"Bugger!"


	4. Chapter 4

_**Harry Potter  
&  
The Children of the Night**_  
**-by Lady Nichola Valerius

* * *

**_Previously, on Harry Potter and the Children of the Night:_

_**"Why won't you tell me anything about Casa di Valerii?" he whined.**_

_**Emera smirked. "Because it'll have a better effect on you if you see it all without any primary description." Harry pouted. "Uh-uh, that won't work on me, Potter!"**_

_**"Fine! We'll see if I cook for you tonight."**_

_**"You still owe me a meal from the fight the other day."**_

_**"Bugger!"**_

_**

* * *

**_**Chapter 4  
The Order's Reaction**

"Harry!"

The aforementioned boy tilted his head up to the source of the call. His startlingly cold eyes warmed considerably as he saw his father's friend waving to him as he walked in his direction. "Hello, Remus," he said when Remus Lupin was close enough. The elder man threw his arms around his best friend's son, relief sweeping over him.

"Harry," he began after letting his arms drop to his sides, "where on Earth have you been? Everyone's been worried-"

"Everyone?" Harry inquired, "The whole Magical world?" At Remus' nod, Harry sighed. "It was Moody, wasn't it?"

"Err- yes, you know nothing fools that eye of his," Remus replied, frowning as he remembered that day. Alastor Moody had flown into headquarters quicker than the Golden Snitch, shouting for a search party, saying that 'the Potter boy' was not anywhere to be found in the immediate vicinity of Privet Drive.

"Well, at least it bought us sometime..." Harry thought out loud, snapping Remus from his thoughts.

"Us?"

Harry turned to his companion, who up until then had stood in the shadows. "This is _Era-Zana_ Emera Ciana Vitalia Valerius of the Clan _Valerius_. She is a vampire. She took me from the Dursleys." Remus listened carefully as he ran a critical eye over the vampire.

He then turned to Harry. "Why? Why did she take you from your relatives? Did she force you?" he asked, his eyes turning angrily to Emera. Harry shook his head and lay a gentle hand on Remus' shoulder.

"Remus..." Harry started, but then stopped. "I think that it would be better if I explained it to everyone, so that I would not have to repeat myself." He gave Remus an inquiring glance. "Do you have the portkey?" At Remus' nod, Harry smiled. "What time will it activate?"

"In a minute," Remus said, glancing at his Muggle watch.

"Let's get ready then," Harry stated. He took hold of Emera's hand, then, with her hand in his, touched the small figurine that Remus offered. After a few moments, they all felt the tug of the portkey as it hooked them back to Number 12 Grimmauld Place.

As their feet touched solid ground, Emera dropped into a stance as they found themselves at the wrong end of a dozen wands. "No! Put your wands down," Remus said quickly.

"You didn't say there'd be another person coming," Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody grunted, keeping his wand on Emera as the others kept their wands.

"I didn't know either."

Alastor turned his wand to Harry, but quickly swished it back to Emera as she hissed and bared her fangs in warning. "Who is this?" he asked Harry, his magical eye trained on Emera.

"_Era-Zana_ Emera Ciana Vitalia Valerius is my _Custode_," Harry said, his eyes narrowing, "We requested the Order's presence to tell you that I _will_ be staying at Valerius Manor." An uproar from everyone caused both to flinch; Harry from irritation and Emera from the volume at which they were making their protests.

"SILENCE!"

Everyone quieted down and turned to the stairs, watching the powerful Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore come down the stairs. Except he didn't look so powerful anymore. His face, that had once always held a smile in some way, was worn and pasty looking. His right hand, from what Harry could see, had a violet-black tinge to it, making it look burnt and bruised at the same time. His body screamed pain as he ambled down the stairs. Bill Weasley offered him a hand as he reached the ground floor, to which Albus gave his left hand gratefully.

"Oh, Professor," Harry breathed, shocked at Dumbledore's weakened state. Even Emera was moved with pity as she studied the powerful sage in front of her. She could feel his aura, which was no doubt as powerful as it had once been, but his physique was pitiful alright.

She moved forward slowly. "Hello, Dumbledore," she murmured, her tone low and almost quiet. Dumbledore's eyes visibly lit up as he saw her.

"_Era-Zana_ Valerius," he reciprocated gleefully, "How are you, my dear?"

"In perfect health, though I noticed you aren't," she replied sardonically. Dumbledore chuckled.

"You haven't changed a bit."

"I'm sorry that I can't say the same," she replied mournfully. Everyone watched their interaction, each one intrigued, most especially a teenager named Harry James Potter.

"Alas, but to dwell in the past is useless, Lady," Albus said, brushing his left hand against her cheek.

"Truer words have always been heard from the old-looking ones," Emera said, a laugh in her tone.

Dumbledore sighed. "You always have been a brat." Everyone gasped, not expecting the word, and the tone, from the peace-loving man. Emera rolled her eyes and began to look around.

"The Noble House of Black," she said aloud. Then she spied a portrait. A familiar looking portrait. She began to laugh. "Leah Adela Almira Black!" she crooned delightedly. "I've wondered where you ended up." The woman in the portrait cringed.

"I'm sure," the olive-skinned woman replied, severe distaste apparent. "It wasn't really fun, what you did, Ana."

Emera let loose another bout of laughter. "Yes, it was!" She turned to her charge. "Wait 'til you hear what I did to Leah! You'll die of lack of air!"

"Thought I wouldn't need to breathe?" Harry countered, and rolled his eyes when Emera just shrugged. "Can we just finish what we can here for?"

Emera smirked. "Someone's in a hurry."

"I want to see the Manor!" Harry said, pouting. Emera grinned.

"You'll see it soon."

"Ahem." The two turned to look at the Headmaster, who looked considerably better now that the familiar twinkle was back in his eyes. "As much as I'd love to see the both of you sulk," at this Emera and Harry glared playfully at him, "I think that you called us here for a reason." He gestured to the kitchen doors, and everyone headed for their 'meeting room'.

"As Harry has stated, he _will_ be staying at our Manor for the rest of the summer," Emera said once they were all seated, standing behind her charge. She held up a pale hand, stopping their protests immediately. "This has been decided by Harry and I, as well as the Council of Thirteen, in order to help Harry develop his skills as a Vampire."

"What do you mean?" a red-haired woman asked, sounding scandalized. "He's been bitten?" Emera glared at her for using that tone with her, a Royal of the Vampires, a _Valerius _no less!

"Don't sound disgusted, _mortal_," she sneered, "To be turned and to be bitten are two _very_ different things. Even if a Vampire bites a mortal, it doesn't mean that you'll be turned, lest there'd be chaos on the planet. Too many Vampires around would mean that the Mortal race would die out. You need Vampire blood to be turned. And you need to be willing to take the blood. Or else it will feel like acid in your throat, burning away your insides, killing you from within. Literally."

"Emera," Harry chastised, "You're frightening them. They don't need the history, just the reason." Emera rolled her eyes, but complied.

"Harry has not _yet_ been turned, but it is his right as my soul-brother to ask for his Changing. To tell the truth, it should have been done ages ago, so that by this time, he'd have mastered all he needed to know."

"Pardon me, _Era-Zana_ Valerius," Snape interjected, "But how can Potter be your soul-brother? To earn a title such as yours, especially ones such as yours, it would had to have taken you centuries to gain, and... experience in killing."

"True," Emera smirked, "Listen carefully, Harry, I haven't told you this yet." Harry sat up and tuned in, showing more interest in what she had to say than in all his previous classes at Hogwarts. "To obtain a title, any title, for yourself, you must show complete and utter skill in fighting, both physically and magically. I am 397 years old. I was born during the first wave of the Goblin Rebellion. Of course, none here have seen it, experienced it, except me. Throughout my childhood, it was only 'Goblins this' and 'Goblins that'... Even though I was raised inside the Manor, everyone there was concerned with what was happening outside. When I was about 5 years old, my mother told me about the day I was born. Minutes before I came into the world, one of my aunts, Rishi, made a prediction... a prophecy about my future. " Emera rolled her eyes as she remembered this. "Harry is my soul-brother because of this prophecy." At this Harry groaned.

"Not another sodding prophecy!" he exclaimed.

"Language, Harry/ Mr. Potter!" Molly Weasley and Minerva McGonagall, respectively, chorused. No one else noticed Harry's exclamation but the headmaster, who just chuckled.

"_Anyway_," she stressed, glaring at Harry, "You all think that it was only you wizards and witches that were attacked. Well, you're wrong. Clan Valerius was attacked as well, but by the Elves. It truly was a time of chaos. To us, the Elves had attacked us for no reason at all. But from my lessons about the different kinds of Magical creatures, I knew that Elves did not just attack without reason, and I voiced my concerns to my father, but he failed to make the Council of Thirteen see truth." Emera lay a comforting hand on Harry, who was very enraptured with her tale. He took hold of her hand and she gave him a small smile.

"When my father told me that the Council wouldn't listen, it was then that I knew I had to do something," Emera continued, her lips quirking slightly. "I waited until everyone was asleep, and snuck out of the Manor, using the tunnels and hidden passage ways that even my parents were not aware of. I headed for their camp, and was subjected to inquiry when one of the guards saw me. They asked me what I was doing there, if I was a spy, if I was sent to kill them. So many questions, but I managed to answer them all truthfully. One thing I could never forget about Elves are that they are an insightful race. They can tell if you're lying. But they saw the truth in my words, and finally I could ask them the question burning in my mind."

"About why they were attacking Vampires?" Harry asked, tugging at her hand, eager to hear the end. At this Emera burst out laughing.

"Actually, no," Emera said. Harry's jaw dropped.

"Well? What did you ask them?" he inquired impatiently, when Emera only continued to smirk at him.

"I asked them, 'Will I become the greatest warrior ever to grace Gaea?' And they said, 'Yes, you will.' _Then_, I asked them why they were attacking my Clan. I found out that one of our soldiers had betrayed the Code of Honor. He had kill a woman of the race, and they thought it was a deliberate attack on their people. I assured them that it was not, because of the Code of Honor, we would never break a promise. I talked with them, and convinced them to meet with my father and the Council. They did so, and the argument was settled. We searched for the soldier who had started it all, but we found that he was already dead. His body was seen outside the Manor, and when we compared the times of death, we saw that he was actually the first who died." Emera's lips twisted into a sneer. "How ironic, no?" Harry snorted.

"You could say that again."

"Anyway, my deeds in _Il Guerra di Fraintendimento_, or The War of Misunderstanding… it was the first step in fulfilling the prophecy. There were other... tasks... that I had completed, and now there are only three more left."

Everyone was on the edge of their seats, waiting for her next words, completely enthralled with her story.

"Er... The end?" she finished, amused at their attention. Harry scowled.

"You are so finishing that when we get to the Manor," he said, pouting. Emera smiled at him sweetly, promising him bad, bad things in the near future. Harry gulped.

"_Era-Zana_," Bill started, "I have a question." When Emera nodded for him to continue, Bill said, "Well, since you are Harry's soul sister," (this drew snickers from a few half-bloods and muggleborns in the room), "will it be you who's going to turn him?" Many looked to the vampire for confirmation.

"Yes," she answered, "It is only right that I do it, because of two main reasons: the first being our history. My parents died trying to save me from a dark goblin. Harry's parents died trying to save him from a dark lord. We have a connection. And the second reason, is because his magic already recognizes mine, since we _have_ spent a lot of time together. His body b ready to take my blood, since blood is the most powerful connection to the magical pool."

"Oh…" Harry said slowly, "I get it." Then he paused. "Hey! You said two main reasons. There are _sub _reasons?" he asked.

Emera smirked. "Maybe," she answered.

"You're so unfair," Harry whined.

"Life's unfair," Emera countered. As she turned back to the Order, she saw at time. "We have to go. The coven is expecting us."

"The whole coven?" Harry asked. Emera nodded, checking her pockets for their things.

"Say goodbye, Harry," Emera said distractedly.

"Why?" Molly asked, "We will be seeing him in September!"

"Actually, you won't," Emera corrected, still rummaging through her pockets. "He will be trained to control his need to feed, his reflexes and whatnot. He won't be returning for a while," Emera said, finding her bracelet. "There you are!" She turned to Harry amid the protests of Molly and the others.

"What's that for?" Harry asked her.

"It's… well, it's like that uh… Portkey your wolf-friend used. It'll bring you where it's set to go. In this case, it's _Casa di Valerii_," Emera answered. Harry's eyes visibly lit up. Emera rolled her eyes as she clasped the bracelet shut. When she let go, Harry disappeared. Emera turned to the Order. "He'll be alright," she reassured them. "I won't let any harm come to him."

"Forgive my rudeness, _Era-Zana_," Snape said before she could leave, "But Potter has a tendency to get into trouble, no matter what."

"Yes, I know that," Emera said, "And I'll be making sure that he reacts accordingly every time that happens." And with that, she walked out of the kitchen.

"Leah," Emera called, "I'll be going now. Do you want to come?"

"No, I'm quite… Oh alright! I've missed the _Casa_ for years!" Leah answered as Emera removed her from the wall. "Goodbye!" she called to the Order before she and Emera disappeared before their sight, with no sound or visible smoke to indicate that anyone else had been there.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Harry Potter  
&  
The Children of the Night**_  
**-by Lady Nichola Valerius

* * *

**_Previously, on Harry Potter and the Children of the Night:_

"_**Forgive my rudeness, Era-Zana," Snape said before she could leave, "But Potter has a tendency to get into trouble, no matter what."**_

"_**Yes, I know that," Emera said, "And I'll be making sure that he reacts accordingly every time that happens." And with that, she walked out of the kitchen.**_

"_**Leah," Emera called, "I'll be going now. Do you want to come?" **_

"_**No, I'm quite… Oh alright! I've missed the Casa for years!" Leah answered as Emera removed her from the wall. "Goodbye!" she called to the Order before she and Emera disappeared before their sight, with no sound or visible smoke to indicate that anyone else had been there.**_

_**

* * *

**_

**Chapter 5**  
**Shy No More**

"Emera!"

Said person rolled her eyes and stretched as she stood up. Her soul-brother smirked. "**What did you do _this_ time, Lìa?**" he asked. The Italian accent was visibly becoming clearer as each day passed.

Emera reciprocated his action, the perfect feminine counterpart to Harry's masculine smirk. "Come see," she said, her reply simple, yet tempting. The Boy-Who-Lived scrunched his nose at her back, but stood up as well and followed his _Custode_ to the throne room. Upon entering, his trained eyes made a quick sweep of the room, making sure everything was in order. Satisfied, he looked around the room once more and upon setting his eyes on Emera's father, he promptly burst into uninhibited laughter. Though the Lord of the _Valerius_ Clan gave him a sour look, his amusement failed to dissipate. "**Father**!" Emera crooned delightedly, "**You're looking fabulous today! Did you get a new hair cut? Or a new sense of style, perhaps?**" Harry's laughter became painful to witness as his entire body was seized in convulsions.

The infamous Marcus Valerius, ruler of the most powerful vampire clan and known to all vampires as _The Beast_ for his skill and experience in fighting and… killing, was dressed for hilarity. Large, baggy, yet highly colorful clothes wrapped his body, thick pink gloves, and jumper straps to hold his pants up. Between these straps, the _Valerius_ Crest was visible in its usual shade of silver. On his feet were humungous shoes, in screaming fire-truck red. Long rainbow hair sprouted from his scalp and was twisted into spiked braids that stood stiffly, makings his head seem big. His already pale face had been smeared with white cover-up, eyebrows were thickly lined with blue, and his eyes were encircled in orange. His nose was hooked and crooked, giving him a Snape-like look. His cheeks had perfect red circles and surrounding his lips was a thick red color that acted as a big smile. And to complete the ensemble, a big red circle was placed on his nose.

Harry couldn't take it. He fell onto the nearest chair and buried his head in his arms, shoulders failing to stop shaking in gleeful mirth. "**Emera, undo this highly amusing act before the council members arrive,**" Lord Valerius said strictly, his Italian accent carrying heavily. His tone of voice, however, failed to hide his pleasure at being bested by his heiress. Emera finally gave in and let loose a loud howl of laughter. Her guffaw lured a recovering Harry into another bout of laughter of his own. When they finally showed some signs of stopping, he spoke once again, "**Now would be a good time to undo this, Emera. The council will arrive any minute.**"

"Alright, alright," Emera muttered, waving her hand in his direction. The rainbow colored hair disappeared, replaced by his usual sleek black hair. The make-up vanished, leaving smooth, blemish free skin. His nose shrunk back and became the normal aristocratic nose Harry had gotten used to. A swishing sound was heard and suddenly the colorful clothes darkened and became black colored robes similar to what Emera and Harry were wearing. The highly distinguished silver crest stayed the same. As Lord Valerius felt his shoes return to its former comfort, the doors to the throne room opened and a female vampire appeared.

Emera felt Harry shudder ever so slightly, as they recognized the vampire that arrived. Maria Jtrishna Bello was a beautiful woman, turned at 21, considerably young. Her face, which had never changed after her turning, was alarmingly seducing and lustful. She had caused a riot after her turning, killing over 500 mortals because of uncontrolled bloodlust. The Clans that were centered over Europe and Western Asia had collaborated in order to find her and stop her, kill her if needed. But she relented after a month of pursuing, swearing to control herself and stop killing off mortals. The _Valerius_ Clan had offered her shelter and she accepted. But even though centuries had passed since her acceptance, she was not inducted into the Clan itself. Her eyes suddenly found Emera's and she somehow smiled without moving her lips. "**Lord Valerius,**" she bowed, "**I was sent by Fabiane Maolmhuadh. She says to tell you that they have proceeded to the library.**" The words almost mixed together at the speed of her Italian pronunciation.

Lord Valerius nodded curtly at her. "**Thank you, Bello,**" he said to her, before turning to leave. "**Come Emera, Harry.**" The two followed him, Emera allowing Harry to walk ahead. He was dreadfully cautious of the woman, who seemed enticed with the idea of her and Harry being mates. _Not if I can help it_, Emera thought to herself. The three of them walked to the library, and upon entering, Emera sealed the room with the most secure spells she knew. And she knew a lot.

The council members were seated on the couches, and Emera waved away a few stray 'bugs' on them. "**They still managed to track you, Orad,**" she informed her uncle. Lord Vitalia pursed his lips, but said nothing. Lord Valerius walked over to a section of the east wall. He arranged a series of circles and squares onto the wall and behind them a bookcase disappeared, revealing a narrow passageway. The council members stood and entered, followed by Emera and Harry. Lord Valerius quickly replaced the patterns back where they were and entered the passage before it closed itself.

"**I believe we are here for the Changing of young Harry,**" Fabiane said, starting the meeting. Everyone listened eagerly. "**Usually, the head member of the Council of Thirteen would give the details of the Changing, but as the young Potter is able to make his own decisions, I have decided to give him the privilege to decide what will be done.**" Emera's head twisted to her _masione_ disbelievingly.

"**You lucky ass!**" she breathed. Lord Valerius' lips twitched visibly. The council members' expressions remained neutral, but when Harry looked closer, he saw a faint flicker of amusement pass through Fabiane's eyes. Fabiane gestured to Harry.

"**Have you decided the details on your Changing?**" she asked him. Harry breathed in deeply.

"**Yes, Lady Maolmhuadh,**"he said softly, biting the inside of his cheeks afterward. Fabiane looked on expectantly. "**It will be held on my birthday, as it should be, and the Council of Thirteen, Lord and Lady Valerius, Emera and her cousins shall attend… But I have a question,**" he said hesitantly. Fabiane motioned for him to say it, nodding encouragingly. "**I was wondering if I would be allowed to invite my best friend… To the ceremony, I mean.**" Harry blushed, suddenly feeling too demanding. The ceremony was an intimate process and, besides the key participants, only those invited were people who are held in high esteem and trust. Emera smiled.

"**Do not worry, my darling brother,**" she said, "**I will take care of it.**" Harry smiled in relief. _If I can't see them all at the start of term, then at least I'll see her before that_, he thought. "**Harry, not to be rude, but there are other things we wish to discuss,**" Emera said to him. Harry nodded in understanding and left. Emera frowned. "**Lady Maolmhuadh, council members, I wish to ask a question as well.**" They nodded for her to continue. "**I was wondering if I could take Harry to Platform 9 and ¾, to allow him to see his friends off.**" They looked to each other and conversed between themselves for a while.

Finally they acknowledged her again, and Fabiane smiled. "**That _would_ be wonderful. I'd imagine he was feeling homesick. But to let him leave, he _must_ have control of his blood lust, Emera,**" she bargained.

Emera smiled giddily. "**Deal! But don't tell him… I'd like to surprise him.**" She stood and bowed respectfully, before taking her leave. As she opened the door to the library, Jtrishna's contour was shown. "Bello," Emera sneered. Jtrishna moved away from her, and as she did, Emera smelt the fear that emanated from the younger vampire. Emera smirked to herself. _No one could fake the scent of fear_, she mused to herself, _not even the best in the business can_.

Emera headed to Harry's room and found the teen playing with his wand. Harry aimed it at the wall, a concentrated frown on his face. A bead of sweat dripped down his temple, and he licked his upper lip as his eyelids fluttered a bit. "_Bombarda_," he whispered, and a dark purplish beam sped to the wall and blasted off an eighth of the solid structure.

"It's a good thing it repairs itself," Emera commented, just as the wall started fixing itself. Harry flopped onto his bed and blew his bangs off his forehead. Emera frowned, closing the door and locking it, placing a Silencing charm on the room. "**What's wrong?**"

Harry shrugged. "Everything," he murmured. Emera felt her stomach clench at the word. Her eyes stung suddenly, as though tears wanted to fall, but couldn't since she didn't know how to cry. She never had a reason to before. Harry sensed a shift in the air and looked up at Emera's frowning face. "Alright there, Lìa?" he asked. Emera said nothing. She stood and walked out to the balcony, looking over at the darkening sky. Harry, bewildered at her lack of conversation, followed her. "Lìa?"

"You don't want the ceremony?" she asked, her voice cool. Harry's eyebrows lifted in surprise.

"Of course I want the ceremony," he answered. Harry placed a hand on her shoulder and felt her stiffen. "Emera, you and your family… You're all I have right now," Harry said, his voice breaking a bit as he realized what was wrong. "You've shown me more than anyone ever has, even Hagrid or Ron or Hermione or Dumbledore… You've treated me as if I was part of your family, and for that I'm so thankful because I've never known what it was like to even _have_ a family that cared." A tear fell down his cheek and Emera could smell the trail it left. "Please don't ever think that I regret meeting you, because you changed my life. If you didn't find me, I would never have experienced love." Emera finally turned to him.

"You know, you didn't have to say all that," Emera said, a sad smile showing on her face. "Vampires are highly empathic, especially those who are Changed, and I'm-" a tear fell down on the same cheek. She lifted her hand to wipe it off, but more kept coming. Harry took her in his arms and cried with her, letting his fears melt away with every tear that fell. "We could pass off as twins," Emera commented later on, after a few more minutes of crying.

Harry smiled a wry grin. "How so?" he asked.

"Well, we both _do_ look alike," Emera started to list, sniffling before she continued, "We balance each other, our biological parents could do magic and were killed by lunatics, we're both mentioned in two prophecies, and… we never knew our birth parents." The atmosphere was sober for a while.

"That's it?" Harry asked, his face serious. Emera rolled her eyes and slapped his arm. "Ouch!" he cried, feigning hurt.

Emera grinned wickedly. "I _can_ make it truly hurt," she offered, curling her hand into a fist.

Harry grimaced. "No thanks," he declined. He shifted his head to the left as Emera raised her own and their lips suddenly brushed. Harry pulled away, blushing hard. "Sorry." Emera frowned. _He's **still** shy?_ She thought to herself. _I can't have a shy charge!_ She turned his head back to hers and pressed her lips to his, holding his chin in one place to prevent him from pulling away. "Lìa," he whispered in protest when she let him breathe.

"Someone has to teach you this, Harry," Emera said softly, "And who better than me?" She kissed him again, this time licking his bottom lip and urging his mouth to open. When she finally bit down softly, his gasp of pain turned into a groan as her tongue entered his mouth. She teased him and danced around, trying to get him to reciprocate her actions. When he finally did, she pulled away, a seductive look in her eye as he opened his green orbs to look at her. He whimpered as her hand trailed across his chest to brush against his nipple, causing him to jerk up slightly. He groaned again as the friction made his body stir in arousal. Emera smirked at him. "Like that, Potter?" she whispered, her lips and tongue moving along the shell and lobe of his ear. He closed his eyes as she started to move on top of him.

"Lìa, I…" he tried to speak to her, trying to tell her he thought this was wrong, "Lìa…" he breathed her name, forgetting what he was saying as she twisted her hips, moving against him just right. He growled as she got up off him. "What-?" Emera picked him up easily and dragged him to his bed. "Kinky," Harry commented off-handedly, wanting to say more, but then he felt her nibbling on his throat, on that spot just below his ear, on- "Sweet- Gods, Lìa," he panted.

She had successfully removed his jeans with one hand and thrown it aside, not really caring where, and had proceeded to take his shirt off, forcing the buttons apart and tearing the collar and shoulder. The ripping sound it made served to heighten Harry's arousal and made him whimper in pleasure. "Mmm… Gods, Harry, you have no _idea_ how delicious you look right now," Emera moaned, thanking her lucky stars that she was a vampire. Being an immortal made it easier to ignore incest or blood ties. She wanted him _now_.

"Lìa…" That was all that penetrated his fogged up mind at the moment. His pet name to her, which he found endearing. _Mistress… It fits really_, he managed to think, right before he felt her tongue against his body. He lost coherent thought once more and concentrated on the sensations that Emera was letting him feel. "Please…"

"Please what?" Emera asked, her sadistic, vampiric side reveling in his helplessness. Harry grunted as her hand pulled his hair, forcing his head back. "What, Harry? Tell me…"

"I- I don't- I don't know…" Harry whimpered, his hands grasping her waist as Emera moved about him. He let out a breath of air. "Gods-I don't-"

"Then I can't help you… If you don't tell me, I can't help… You _have_ to tell me," Emera repeated, her voice bearing the full tone of seduction. "What do you want?" she asked again, her voice demanding.

"Want you," he got out, panting. "Oh gods, Lìa…" he moaned. "This is- it's- It's wrong… You're my sister," he said, trying to regain common sense.

"No, I'm not… Not yet anyway, and besides," she said in a voice that reminded him of Hermione reciting from a text book, "Vampires don't care about blood ties when it comes to sex." She moved down and sat between his legs.

"Holy- Oh god, _oh god…_" Harry began to feel the pressure increase to an unbearable height. "Lìa, please, I'm so- so close… _Please…_" he panted, whimpering as she swallowed. "Bugger! _Augh…_" he made a strangled noise as he saw a bright light explode behind his eyelids. "Lìa!" Harry looked at her beneath half-lidded eyes, his euphoria slowly ebbing away. "You realize," he started to say, "that I can never look at you the same way again." Emera grinned wickedly.

"Oh, I hope so," she said, lying beside him. She cradled his head in her lap and ran her fingers through his hair. "What _do_ you want?" she asked again, referring to his personal desire. Harry stared sleepily at the ceiling, but nevertheless cottoned on to the meaning of her question.

"Well, I… I guess that, no, I _know _that I want Voldemort gone. I want to have a happily ever after, with my princess and my friends and family. I- I want to have my own family someday. But… for now, I just want to be safe," he answered in a drowsy voice. Emera could tell that he was fighting off sleep, but was failing miserably as his eyelids fluttered shut. His answer came from the subconscious; he wasn't even aware that he was speaking anymore. Emera smiled, finding him adorable.

"Sleep now," she said, sensing his want to sleep.

"M'kay," Harry conceded. Emera lay there until morning, just watching her soul-brother and marveling at how innocent he was when he slept. When he smiled slightly and buried his face into her stomach, Emera felt something in her rattle. She was going to teach him everything she knew and more, so that he could have his happily ever after.

* * *

_Author's Note: _

_Harry is in Italy now, and no one in the Order knows where he is presently. Emera's actions in this chapter shall remain as is, and I shall not tolerate flames about it. This is a vampire fic. Sex is naturally a release for vampires, and even humans, and if anyone doesn't like what I've written, then stop reading the story. It's as easy as that. And as mentioned above, the vampires here don't care who they fuck, be it girl, boy, old, or young, or even if they are a family member. Don't like it? Then don't read. _

_To my faithful, supporting readers, thank you for bearing with me. Time is not on my side as I write this. My original documents have been erased from the computer, thanks to my brother, who **tried **to heal the computer when it had a virus. He ended up erasing most of the files, including my Greek report and, of course, the story I've written. I have to type it down all over again. (**sigh**) This chapter, by the way, is edited. For the unedited version, the link can be found at my profile...Anyway, thank you for your patience. _

_-Yours in words,  
Lady Nichola Valerius_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Harry Potter  
&  
The Children of the Night**_  
**-by Lady Nichola Valerius

* * *

**_Previously, on Harry Potter and the Children of the Night:_

"**_I guess that I want Voldemort gone. I- I want to have a happily ever after, with my princess and my friends and family. I- I want to have my own family someday. But for now, I just want to be safe," he answered in a drowsy voice. Emera could tell that he was fighting off sleep, but was failing miserably as his eyelids fluttered shut. His answer came from the subconscious; he wasn't even aware that he was speaking. Emera smiled, finding him adorable._**

"_**Sleep now," she said, sensing his want to sleep.**_

"_**M'kay," Harry conceded. Emera lay there until morning, just watching her soul-brother and marveling at how innocent he was when he slept. When he smiled slightly and buried his face into her stomach, Emera felt something in her rattle. She was going to teach him everything she knew and more, so that he could have his happily ever after.**_

_**

* * *

**_**Chapter 6  
Hermione's Loyalty**

_KNOCK, KNOCK._

"Chelsea, could you get that?"

"Yes, Aunt Jane!" 23-year-old Chelsea McGrath answered her mother's youngest sister as she pulled out of her twin brother Chester's grasp. Chester pouted.

"I was winning," he said immaturely.

"You wish you were," Chelsea replied, walking out of the living room. She jogged to the foyer and pulled the door open. "Yes?"

A woman with jet-black hair stood there, her eyes hidden by dark glasses and a suede brown jacket that complimented her knee-length leather skirt covered her white blouse. Brown ankle-boots finished her eye-catching look. "Good afternoon, is Ms. Granger there?" the stranger asked. Chelsea gave a polite smile.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Helena's out with her friends," Chelsea said, "Maybe tomorrow you could come back?"

The woman gave a polite laugh. "Oh, no, I'm looking for Hermione." Chelsea's eyes widened.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Hermione isn't a social person so I assumed- well, come in, I'll go get her," Chelsea stepped aside and directed the woman to the living room. Chester turned around as soon as he heard his sister approach and sprayed his tube of water, realizing too late that it wasn't Chelsea behind him.

"Oh, bollocks! I'm so sorry!" he antagonized as the woman checked the damage. She waved it off.

"It's alright, I'm used to it," she replied. Chelsea paused glaring at her twin brother and chuckled.

"You have a brother too?" she asked knowingly.

"Well, sort of," she answered, "He's actually Hermione's friend from school. I wanted to ask her if she would want to spend the summer with him until school starts."

"You're a witch?" Chester asked, eyes wide.

The woman gave an amused laugh. "Just half," she answered. Then she turned back to Chelsea. "About Hermione…"

"Oh, right! Sorry!" She ran out of the room and thundered up the stairs. Chester cleared his throat.

"Erm- can you really do magic?" he asked her uncomfortably. She smiled, then waved her hand at the fireplace, where a lively cackling fire roared to life. Chester jumped, then looked at her in awe. "Wow! And you didn't even need a wand to do that! Hermione needs a wand to perform those kinds of magic," he said. The woman's eyebrow rose.

"Really?" she asked, but before she could continue, she heard footsteps coming into the vicinity of the living room. She snapped her fingers and the fire disappeared, just as Chelsea returned, followed by yet another brunette. "Hello, Ms. Granger. My name is Emera, I'm a friend of Harry's." To which Hermione responded with a quick draw of her wand. Emera took the time to study Hermione's wand, Vine wood with a dragon heartstring core._ Powerful._ Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Chelsea pulling on Chester and they left the room hurriedly.

"Truly?" Hermione asked dryly. "I don't believe you."

"I expected that. Fine then, ask me whatever you want, if only to prove that I am Harry's confidante," Emera said calmly. _I can play your game, mortal,_ she thought as a shroud of coldness emitted from her.

Hermione's eyes narrowed. "Alright, what form does my Patronus' imitate whenever I call upon it?" she asked in a challenging tone. Emera gave her a wry grin.

"Oh, please. Many have seen your Patronus, particularly that Defense Association club you formed last year. An otter. Now another question. A harder one, please," came the insulting reply.

"What spell did Antonin Dolohov use on me and where?" Hermione asked, her spirit seeming to tremble as she remembered the incident. Emera's cold aura seemed to seep back into her as she, too, recalled Harry's pained expression when he told her about Hermione's injury.

"It happened when you went to rescue Sirius, in the Department of Mysteries. Antonin used a curse on you, the variant of a Slashing Hex, but much more harmless. Harry assumed that since you look weak, Antonin used a weak curse to save his magic." Emera frowned at her wand suddenly. "You can't do magic outside of school."

Hermione focused on her words, pushing away the dark memory. "That's what you think," she smirked smugly, flipping her wand. Emera grinned as she saw the wand twist into a golden stud.

"I'm starting to like you," she said, as Hermione placed it on the top portion of her ear. She gave Emera a tentative smile.

"So? Why are you here? And where's Harry? He can't possibly be at the Dursleys if he's making new friends," Hermione thought aloud as she motioned for Emera to sit.

"I see why you are said to be the cleverest student at Hogwarts since Lily Evans," Emera murmured, causing Hermione to blush slightly. "You are right to assume that Harry isn't at the Dursleys, because I took him away from them. He is at my home. I come here now to offer you the chance to see him. He shan't be at Hogwarts for a while, because of details that I cannot tell you here."

"You, my good lady, are a vampire," Hermione said after a moment of silence. "No one else is so secretive about their home, or their acquaintances." Emera grinned at her, confirming her assumption as she saw the fangs. "Now, what really bothers me is why you've taken Harry in." Hermione smiled at Emera. "Would you like to stay for dinner?"

"Depends on what you're serving," Emera countered. Hermione laughed.

"I'm starting to like you too," she said, standing. "I shall ask my family permission to go with you, but I'm sure they'll agree. They're used to me going away now."

* * *

_**At dinner…**_

"Most definitely not!" Charlene Merricks-McGrath proclaimed when Hermione told them she was leaving. George, her husband, placed his head in his hands as she continued. "Hermione, we are here for a _family vacation_-!"

"It's not exactly a family vacation if I stay at _my home_, now is it?" Hermione rebutted. Charlene was flabbergasted at her niece's gall to answer her back.

"Char, it's alright with us, and we're her parents. She needs to understand the world she joined. Its bad enough that we held her back a year. She could be graduating now," Jane Merricks-Granger told her oldest sister. Emera rolled her eyes discreetly. If only she had known that the family would have the _longest_ discussion about Hermione leaving, then she would have sent someone else.

"But we've planned this for so long now, Jane! We haven't seen each other for so long-" Charlene argued.

"Oh, shush, Charlene!" Hermia Merricks-Adamson reprimanded her sisters. Emera had to have pity for her. How she had lived with these two women all her life, Emera would never know. The Merricks Sisters were now in a heated argument on whether Hermione stays or not. Emera grimaced as the front door banged loudly.

"I'm here!" a voice rang out. Chester muttered something crude under his breath. Another brunette appeared, looking about 21, and was clad in almost the same clothes as Emera.

"Oh," she said as she took in the scene. "This is about Hermione again isn't it?" Chester and Chelsea gave her a sour look, to which Helena reciprocated the act. She then spotted their guest, but was interrupted before she could greet her.

"Oh, yes," Hermione said sarcastically. "Welcome back, too, Helena." Helena gave her a look before stalking out of the room, forgetting about Emera.

"Are all of you brunettes?" Emera asked in reflection.

"Yes," the three cousins chorused.

"But your mothers are all blondes!" Emera exclaimed.

"And our fathers are too," Hermione added.

"But how _did_ you get to be brunettes?" Emera asked. She had never been more confused in her life.

"Our great-grandmother," they chorused once again.

"Oh, genetics." Emera found herself being stared at by three sets of eyes. "What?"

"How'd you know about genetics?" Chelsea asked.

"I'm half," Emera repeated.

"Half what?" Chester pressed.

"Half-witch," Emera replied. 'Oh's were heard as the twins accepted her answer.

"She's going and that's final!" Jane said, loudly, earning a 'Yes!' from her daughter. Hermione ran around the table to hug her.

"Thank you, Mum! You're the best!" she said, running to her room to pack. Jane turned to Emera.

"When do you leave?" she asked.

"Now. We need to go to the airport to catch our flight," Emera answered.

"I thought that you could just pop anywhere you want to go, using those er- port keys?" Jane asked.

"Oh, we can't use portkeys without Ministry approval, and Apparating to other countries are tiring. Besides, no one knows that Harry Potter is missing just yet. The news will be out in September."

"Oh," they all chorused. "But why can't the Wizarding World know about Harry's disappearance? Is he that popular?" Charlene asked.

"Yes. Plus the fact that Voldemort is back, Harry needs all the training he can get. Since Hermione is staying with us for a few weeks, she can get the same treatment too. That way, she'll be more versatile and will be able to react faster during an attack."

"Hey," Hermione panted, running back in. "I'm ready." Emera smiled.

"Good. Come on then, we need to Apparate to the airport. That's how we get to Harry."

* * *

_**Casa di Valerii…**_

"**Faster, Harry, time's almost up.**" Harry, tired as he was, used every ounce of his energy to move faster to get his goal. _CRACK!_ "**Yes! That was great, Harry!**" Vidar cheered as Harry fell tiredly onto the grassy lawn. Vidar laughed as he skipped over to his friend. "**Come on, I'll help you get to bed.**"

"**Thanks, Vidar,**" Harry said as Vidar changed his clothes magically, before falling asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Harry Potter  
&  
The Children of the Night**_  
**-by Lady Nichola Valerius

* * *

**_Previously, on Harry Potter and the Children of the Night:_

"_**Faster, Harry, time's almost up**_"_** Harry, tired as he was, used every ounce of his energy to move faster to get his goal. CRACK! **_"_**Yes! That was great, Harry!**_"_** Vidar cheered as Harry fell tiredly onto the grassy lawn. Vidar laughed as he skipped over to his friend. **_"_**Come on, I will help you get to bed.**_"

"_**Thanks, Vidar,**_"_** Harry said as Vidar changed his clothes magically, before falling asleep.**_

_**

* * *

**_**Chapter 7  
Hermione's Arrival **

"Harry?" Groaning, he turned over to see his soul-sister. "Morning, **caro**," she said affectionately as she cast a cleansing charm on him. Harry felt his mouth become dry, before the familiar flavor of minty cleanliness flooded his taste buds.

"Morning, **mi cara**," he answered. Emera kissed him gently, waking him up slowly. "**Better than coffee**," he said when she pulled away.

"**I have a surprise for you**. In the East Wing," she murmured, before wrapping her arm around his neck and kissing him again. Harry felt his mind drift away once again, as it did every time Emera kissed him. He tightened his hold on her, before moving his hands up above her waist. When she pulled away, Harry growled and pulled her back into his arms, but she insisted on letting go and he groaned in dismay. "Go to the door that holds the carvings of Eden. Your surprise will be there." Harry prevented her from saying anything else by kissing her again, though this time, it was more fierce and insistent. "Hey, come on. You need to shower, and get dressed to impress. We have a guest attending," Emera said, as Harry pushed her against the bathroom door.

"I'd rather not get dressed, and you can join me in the shower," Harry suggested, nipping at her neck. "I missed you." He stopped biting at her and just held her, feeling the urge to stay close to her. Emera wove her arms around him and sighed, saying, "I missed you too, **caro**." The two of them stayed like that for a while, but then Harry started to suck on her weak zone, just above her neck and behind her ear, and Emera felt the familiar stirrings of desire sweep through her. "Alright, maybe we do have time for a shower." She felt Harry's triumphant grin as he pushed the door open carefully, guiding her in and kicking it shut once again. Emera heard the faint telltale _click_ of the door locking itself. "Hmm… Showing off some wandless magic, huh?" she growled in his ear. Harry wiggled his fingers and Emera's clothes disappeared.

"**Only for you**," Harry said honestly, groaning as she tore his sleepwear off. "You got a thing for ruining clothes?" he teased.

"Just yours," Emera countered as she steered him into the shower area. She heard his head hit the wall hard as she sucked on him once again. "Mmmm…" she hummed, thinking how lucky she was that she didn't need to breathe. _Actually, it's Harry who's lucky that I don't need to breathe._ Her ears twitched as she heard Harry make those adorable sounds once again. "_Tempero_." At this, Harry made a choked sound as he felt the effects of the spell. "Like that?" she asked him coyly. She looked up just in time to see Harry's eyes roll back and she grinned wickedly as his hands untangled themselves from her hair and began to roam over his body. "Ohh, you tease," she said smugly as Harry touched himself.

"You- spell," Harry tried to say, but the feeling of his hands teasing himself when he had no control over them was arousing. He felt so many things at once- "Oh gods, Lìa." A whooshing sound was heard and water began to spray on his body, sending more pleasurable sensations to course through him. "Sweet Circe, yes…" He didn't notice when Emera's hand released him to catch a thin cylinder, his mind too preoccupied.

Emera hummed once more as she loosened Harry's muscles. Harry cried out, not expecting the intrusion. "Shh, don't worry, **caro**, I'll be careful." She left it in him and made his muscles contract slightly, just enough so that the cylinder wouldn't fall. She turned her attention back on a panting Harry. His hand, controlled by Emera, reached behind him. She let it out slowly, before pushing back in just as slow. Harry was breathing harder now. "Like that, **caro**?" she asked him, watching his face.

"Yes," Harry answered.

"How much?"

"So much, Lìa," he groaned, just as Emera used the spell to make his hand push it in hard. Harry made the strangled noise that Emera had come to love hearing, and she let go of the spell. Harry, feeling the control slip back to him, took his left hand off his body and tangled it once more in Emera's hair. He experimented with the cylinder again and again. He felt the pressure rise and tightened his hold on it. As he did, the cylinder vibrated, sending him over the edge and into a violent climax. Harry, panting, took the cylinder out of his arse and Emera grabbed it. She gave him a grin worthy of a Cheshire cat as she made the cylinder vanish.

"Can't let you see my toys, **caro**," she said, thighs moving together. Harry remembered that she hadn't come yet and promptly forgot about her toys.

"I don't care," he said, his voice lowering just right. Emera recognized that tone and, for all her legendary control, it made her shiver. Harry turned her around to brace them against the wall as he took a bit of her flesh in his mouth, sucking gently on another of her weak zones. Emera threw her head back and let out a deep groan, clutching his head to her as he suckled. Heat suddenly flashed on the space above her heart, a sign that her father, or mother, was calling her. But she couldn't just appear there like this. _Well, actually I can, but poor Harry will be pulled along with me,_ she said to herself, an amused grin spreading over her face at the thought. "What?" Harry asked, his lips brushing over her skin as his eyes looked deeply into her emerald orbs.

"Nothing, someone's c-calling me," she answered with a groan. She let her head fall onto his shoulder and he steadied her.

"Will you go?" Harry inquired, his head hovering over her, eyes now drifting over the Valerius symbol on her flesh. It was glowing a dark reddish color, as if someone had painted it using blood. That shade of red was a sign in which she was, indeed, being summoned. Meaning that if she gave him the chance, he'd have to hurry her release. Harry pouted as he waited for her decision.

"Of course," Emera said finally, fact in her voice. "But you have to make me come first." Harry's crestfallen expression morphed into a devilish smirk as Emera pushed against the wall. He fisted a hand in her hair and wrapped an arm around her waist as he worked to bring them both to completion. Moans and pants and cries of pleasure echoed around the steaming bathroom, accompanied by the sound of flesh slapping against flesh and words that shouldn't be heard by young children. "I'm so close, **caro**, so _bloody close_," she moaned in his ear, "Faster, Harry, _harder_."

"Oh _gods_, Lìa, you're so good, so _good_," Harry murmured over and over, feeling her muscles contract as she climaxed, her face a perfect picture of ecstasy. "That's it, **cara**, let it go," he whispered to her, feeling her shudder in warning. "Oh gods," he groaned, biting down on her neck. They sat there for a while, under the hot spray of water, trying to compose themselves. Harry sucked on the blood spilling from her neck, licking her flesh clean and grinning at the thought that he would soon be her true kin.

"Getting better every time," Emera commented, a serene smile on her face. Harry grinned, brushing a few wet strands of hair off her face. His eyes snapped back to the bite he gave her as it slowly mended, the marks remaining as the wound closed. Emera watched him as his eyes betrayed a fascination to her skin, and she finally gave in to the urge to kiss him, her tongue entering his mouth. Courtesy of her vampire senses, she could taste her own blood, as well as her flesh on his tongue, a blend of apples and clean skin, and his own unique taste. "You, my darling brother, will soon be a sex god," she teased, chuckling as his cheeks flushed. "But of course, that's only if you get enough practice." She ran her nails hard against his back.

Harry grunted in primal satisfaction, his hands stroking her back leisurely. Then he sighed. "You'd better answer that call. They could get impatient." Emera sighed as well, giving him one more thorough kiss before standing to cover herself with new clothes. Harry started to clean himself up, still watching his soul-sister out of the corner of his eye. When she had left, Harry sighed, thinking how the past month has made his life more different and complicated than before. He never thought that he'd ever be intimate with a girl, especially a person who was supposedly his sister. And he also never imagined that he'd have sex at 16, well, 15 ½, so how likely was it that he'd be into rough sex. _Very likely, it seems. Gods, it's been a strange experience, a strange month, a strange five years, actually,_ he thought with a start._ But I wouldn't exchange it for all the happiness in the world, because if I did, I'd have never met my friends, and I'd have never met Emera._ Harry got out of the shower and dried himself, before throwing clothes on his body. _"Dress to impress,"_ Emera had said. Harry couldn't care less how he looked; it was whom he was meeting that bothered him.

"I just hope I could make an ally out of him."

* * *

_The door that holds the carvings of Eden_, Harry repeated in his mind and as he turned yet another corner, the door suddenly appeared before him. Harry smiled slightly, reminded of Hogwarts' Room of Requirements. _Casa di Valerii _was one of those labyrinth-type manors, with lots of rooms and secret hiding places. Emera had shown him a few passages (most of them were ways to get to the main areas of the _Casa_) that no one else knew about, and had promised to show him more. Harry had already discovered 3 on his own, by accident of course. Pausing to check his person, Harry made sure that his wand was on his right middle finger, transfigured into a ring the Potter crest. Emera had taken out her old book of pureblood families and Harry found his own bloodline on the P's section, page 731. Surprisingly enough, the Potter family crest was of a dragon. Not a lion, or any type of feline, but a dragon. It was reminiscent to that of a winged serpent, slender and flexible. Emera had made him transfigure his wand into the ring after studying the Potter crest inch by inch. It had taken him a few tries before his wand flipped over and twisted itself into the correct ring. Emera had been so proud of him. 

Harry grinned goofily as he remembered the happenings of that night. But then he remembered he was meeting someone. He straightened himself out and turned the knob. He entered a room lavishly decorated with the most comfortable-looking furniture and tasteful designs. French doors led to the balcony that overlooked the _Casa's_ garden. Harry looked around as he walked across the room. The room had a blue theme to it, soft on the eyes and yet not unfashionable at the same time. There was a large, king-sized bed, bedside tables, a work area, two bookshelves, a _boudoir_, and-

"Harry?"

Her voice made him stop cold in his tracks. "Hermione?" he asked aloud, disbelief in his voice. Then a grin spread across his face as he took in her presence. "Hermione!" He rushed over to where she stood near the railing and gave her a hug, inhaling her peach scent. He pushed her away from him slightly. "What are you doing here?" he asked her. "Who brought you in?"

"Emera Valerius did, she said that she would explain everything when we got here, but I haven't seen her since I exited the car." Harry heard the slight tremble in her voice. _Way to go, Potter! While you were off screwing your soul-sister, your best friend was getting scared out of her wits being surrounded by vampires!_ His conscience said. Harry pulled his eyes down to the light-shaded blue carpet, shame-faced.

"Gods, I'm so sorry, Hermione! If I knew you were coming-" he tried to say, but she waved it off.

"Emera said that my arrival was a surprise for you," Hermione said, her eye gaining a twinkle almost identical to Dumbledore's. "Were you surprised?"

"You bet I was!" Harry exclaimed, a grin forming on his face. "I wasn't expecting you so soon."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, her eyebrows coming together.

"Well, I…sort of requested that you be brought here, and I was expecting you tomorrow at the least." Harry smiled. "I'll have to thank Emera for getting you." His smile suddenly held more mischievousness than joy. Hermione studied him as he stared out the window next to them. She couldn't believe her eyes. She was ashamed to say it, but she was expecting to see the same scrawny, thin, underfed boy she saw at the Burrow during the summer holidays. But no, that boy was no more. He was still short in height, about 5 ft. 8 inches, but muscles were visible on his biceps, chest; his broad shoulders and lean stomach were visible under the tight shirt, signifying physical work out during the past dew weeks, at least.

Something shiny caught her eye and she focused her attention on it, revealing a necklace- a chain to be more precise. A slight bulge underneath his neckline told her that there was a pendant attached to the chain. A black leather band wrapped around his right wrist while a silver leather band wrapped around the opposite wrist. His hands twitched slightly, bringing her attention to the gold ring on his finger. She looked back up to his face to find his lips twitching slowly into a grin, thus prompting her to say something. "What is that?" she asked, pointing to the chain. His eyes (and attention) snapped back to her, the intensely fierce gaze catching her by surprise.

Harry saw her stance falter a bit and he relaxed his body. "Sorry, Hermione, I- er, forgot that you were there," he apologized sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. _He's nervous,_ Hermione realized. "This?" he asked, taking out the pendant, a simple silver pentacle. "It was a welcoming gift from Lord Orad Vitalia, Emera's uncle. He's Emera's mother's brother." Hermione nodded, storing the information for future use. "Since I don't have the _Valerius_ mark yet, this is- er, sort of the substitute," Harry explained.

"And that?" She was pointing at the ring on his finger. Harry gave her a quick once over, which Hermione did not see. _Should I tell her?_ He asked himself. _Maybe she can help me solve the mystery on why the Potter crest is a dragon instead of a lion, like I thought before… But…_ Harry felt Hermione's curiosity rage when he remained silent. "Harry?"

"Why are you asking, Hermione?" he inquired, truly confused by all the questions.

"Forgive me, Harry, but I can't believe that it _is_ you," Hermione said frankly, "For all I know, you could be a stranger who used Polyjuice potion to attain Harry's image. You most certainly don't look the same. No glasses, stockier in the muscular sense, more…confident of yourself, need I go on?" Hermione asked him, her voice apologizing. Harry grinned at her.

"No, you don't need to go on, I understand," Harry said, his grin proud and approving. "I admire that Hermione, but don't think I can't read between the lines. You're worried about my health, physically, mentally, and emotionally, and I'm not saying it's a bad thing," he added quickly, seeing her open her mouth to object, "I know what's going through your head, Hermione. _Sirius is dead, poor boy, what's he gone through, going through right now…_" Harry saw her eye twitch at his godfather's name.

"You're not Harry," she declared. "He wouldn't say Sirius' name so carelessly after…"

"Sirius is alive, Hermione," Harry said softly, trying to make her believe without recalling any private memories. He wanted her to recognize him on her own. "He wrote to me, sent me an owl- sent me Emera." He sighed, resting his hands onto the railing nearby. "If he didn't write, if he didn't give me the _Helper_, I'd still be at the Dursley's house, starving, helpless, and weak." He pinned Hermione with his emerald gaze, his eyes expressive and open for her to read. "Emera saved me, Hermione. She saved me from _Privet Hell_, taught me how to fight… She refused Voldemort for me, to help me… To help me kill him." His voice faltered, eyes widening as shame, apprehension, and fear appeared in his eyes. Then, as if a dam broke, Harry told her everything. Sirius' letter, Emera's appearance in his life, his experiences (exculding certain happenings) at the Manor, and finally, the prophecy.

Hermione's eyes widened with each tale, gasping as his eyes dimmed at the mention of the prophecy. There he was, her best friend, Harry James Evans Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, the boy who, by defeating the most feared Dark Lord in history, saved countless lives, the boy who saved _her_ just months before. She stroked her stomach through the soft fabric of her shirt, feeling the scar that Antonin Dolohov had inflicted on her. Harry's eyes held fear, fear of taking a life, the fear of being a murderer. "Oh, Harry," she murmured, her left hand falling on his shoulder.

"I don't want to kill him, Hermione… But I don't want to die either…" Harry confessed, his eyes filling with tears. "Gods, I know that sounds selfish but-"

"It's okay to be selfish sometimes," Hermione cut him off. Her eyes widened when he suddenly hugged her, tightly. His body was trembling and she felt wetness on her shoulder. "Oh, Harry…"

"You- gods, Hermione, I'm so sorry…" he pulled away slightly, smoothing her already neat hair down, as if to comfort her. But then Hermione realized that by doing it, Harry was comforting himself. "I wish I'd listened to you. Then I wouldn't have put any of you in danger. Sirius wouldn't have been stuck in Milan with the Zabini's, Ron wouldn't have been attacked by that- that _brain_ thing, and you… You wouldn't have…" he faltered at this point, his eyes going down her body to stare at her stomach. "Can I…"

Hermione said nothing, but tucked out the cotton shirt from her denims and placed his hands on the last button. She saw his eyes flicker, fear crossing them once again. _Oh Harry, I'm so sorry for doubting you… I'll never do it again,_ she swore to herself, instinctively needing to protect him. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed nervously. He knelt before her, his face level to her midsection. He undid the buttons, making his way up slowly. He pushed the folds aside, revealing the scar immediately. He undid some more buttons, needing to see the effects of his decision. From the right side of her stomach, the thick line made it's way up past where Harry dared to see.

He traced it hesitantly, making Hermione's flesh tingle as goose bumps appeared around the injury. _Oh…Gods, Harry, don't do that! _She thought to herself as the action caused her to tingle in places she shouldn't around her best friend. She bit in a moan and concentrated on Harry's guilt-filled eyes, the grief in him sobering her up instantly. _Bad Hermione! Bad! _"Hermione…" Harry choked her name out, tears spilling from him eyes, "How- how long did it take you to heal?" he asked her. His eyes begged for the truth, for her honesty, and she'll be damned if she lied to him.

"Two and a half weeks. I spent a week in a coma; three of those days were magically induced because the Healers didn't want me in pain while my body was healing. The other week was spent trying to get my midsection to feel anything and stop being numb …" she trailed off hesitantly.

"And?" Harry asked, his voice thick with guilt and regret. "What? Please tell me. Hermione, please… Don't hide it from me."

Hermione closed her eyes, not wanting to tell him something so private, yet unwilling to deny him what he asked. "The doctors-" she started to say, but her voice broke at the last word. She cleared her throat, feeling tears sting her eyes. "The muggle doctors told me that my right ovary was…affected. It won't be producing eggs anymore," she said, her words ending in a whisper. Harry sobbed, his head against her stomach.

"Hermione, I'm so sorry- So sorry…" Harry whispered, his words breaking her heart. Hermione tried to comfort him, understanding why he was so broken over her situation.

"Harry, it's okay… I- I can still have kids," Hermione said, kneeling as well. She placed both hands on his cheeks, gently forcing him to look at her. "Harry, it's okay. It's not your fault-"

"Yes it is!" Harry cried his hands wrapping around her wrists. "You, of all people know that! I _dragged_ you out there… I thought I was saving Sirius. I thought, so foolishly, that a group of kids could take on full-grown Death Eaters and come out unscathed. I was reckless, Hermione…" he pulled a hand up to his lips and kissed it by the knuckles. Hermione sucked in a mouthful of air, aware that her body was heating up again. "That's why I came here with Emera. To be able to think on my feet, to rely more on my mind than my magic…to be able to avoid putting you in harm's way." His eyes begged her to understand, begged her to forgive him. She did, and she has.

"Harry…" Hermione found herself crying. "You don't give yourself enough credit, Harry Potter. You _are_ able to think on your feet. You found a way to get to the Ministry of Magic, didn't you? You were able to rely on your memory, to get us to the Department of Mysteries… If that isn't relying on your mind, then I don't know what is!" she exclaimed, trying to comfort him. He just cried harder. Hermione faltered slightly. "Harry, don't be too hard on yourself. You kept us alive there, Harry. Long enough for Dumbledore and the Order to save us, to take us home. You saved us." Her amber eyes held his green ones captive. Hermione smiled, lips parting to speak once more, but Harry stiffened suddenly. His eyes darted to the room and then he relaxed. Hermione turned her head and found Emera behind them.

"Lìa," he murmured, his eyes red-rimmed and cheeks tear-strained.

Emera took in his appearance and asked him softly, "What happened?"

"We… talked," Harry said, his eyes searching Hermione's for permission to tell his soul-sister. Her eyes told him everything he needed to know. "About what happened in the Department of Mysteries." Emera's eyes flickered in understanding. She held her hand out to Harry and he took it. Hermione noticed something about them. They seemed too…intimate.

"You okay, **caro**?" Emera asked, holding a worried look. Harry squeezed her hand for a second, and Emera understood that he was fine. "Hermione?" she turned to the brown-haired girl. Emera felt a brief pang of irritation at the mortal. _She did nothing wrong, they were bound to talk about this sooner, _she thought to herself. She gave Hermione a half-smile. "Are you hungry?"

Hermione reciprocated the action. "Depends on what you're serving."

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_The link to the unedited version may be found at my profile._

_-Lady Valerius _


	8. Chapter 8

**_Harry Potter_**  
_**&  
The Children of the Night**_  
**-by Lady Nichola Valerius

* * *

**_Previously, on Harry Potter and the Children of the Night:_

_**Emera took in his appearance and asked him softly, "What happened?"**_

"**_We… talked," Harry said, his eyes searching Hermione's for permission to tell his soul-sister. Her eyes told him everything he needed to know. "About what happened in the Department of Mysteries." Emera's eyes flickered in understanding. She held her hand out to Harry and he took it. Hermione noticed something about them. They seemed too…intimate. _**

"**_You okay, caro?" Emera asked, holding a worried look. Harry squeezed her hand for a second, and Emera understood that he was fine. "Hermione?" she turned to the brown-haired girl. Emera felt a brief pang of irritation at the mortal. She did nothing wrong, they were bound to talk about this sooner, she thought to herself. She gave Hermione a half-smile. "Are you hungry?"_**

**_Hermione reciprocated the action. "Depends on what you're serving."

* * *

_**

_**AN: Emphasized words mean that the speaker is using a different language. If another language is to be utilized, I shall inform you to it.**_  
_**A slight WARNING: Later on in the chapter, you readers shall encounter a few oxymorons. I advise that you finish the paragraph, or the chapter, before forming your retorts. Thank you. -Lady Valerius**_

"**Italian Language"**  
"_Latin Language"

* * *

_**Chapter 8  
Ceremony Surprise**

"It's time, Harry." Emera stood at the doorway, watching as Harry adjusted the ceremonial robes he was required to wear. He looked at himself in the mirror, his anxiety radiating off him as Emera continued to watch him.

"I don't bite," Harry said, trying to loosen the tension he felt. He thought about what he said, then added, "yet." Emera's face didn't give, her expression blank and slightly cold. Harry tensed even more at her lack of response. "Lìa?"

"It's time," she repeated, letting impatience blend with her voice. Truthfully, she wasn't too keen on rushing him, but midnight was only an hour away. _If he doesn't do this now, we'd have to wait another year. It's just not possible… Too much time will be wasted._ Harry sighed heavily, then pushed himself away from the mirror. He walked to Emera, who turned and led him out of the _Casa_. They walked past the garden; the silence dragging, making Harry bite his lip in apprehension and unease as Emera glided along the pathway in front of him. The scent of exotic flowers distracted him a bit, making him less apprehensive, but when an unsuspecting Harry stepped on a small twig, he jumped out of his skin in fright, the apprehension returning full-force. Emera acted as if she was paying him no mind, but the vampire princess was aware of every twitch, pull, and jerk of her soul-brother's body.

As she passed a lighted lantern, Emera turned to see him, and Harry was suddenly stuck by how beautiful she looked. The dark bell-sleeved dress she wore contrasted against her milky skin and blended with her dark hair, seeming endless as the velvet clung to her form. Harry's eyes drifted to the Valerius symbol on her pale flesh. It shone brilliantly in silver against her skin, stating that no one was calling for her at the moment. The bottom of the cloak on her shoulders flowed as if a peaceful breeze was lifting it. But Harry couldn't feel the wind brushing against his skin, meaning that the cloak shouldn't have been trailing behind her like that. _It's her aura. _Harry's admiration of Emera suddenly turned into anxiety once more. Never had he felt an aura this powerful, and he suddenly felt betrayed. _Why had she never shown me her true power? Does she not trust me?_ Harry banished the feeling and followed his _Custodè_ once more as she continued down the trodden path.

Suddenly, Harry felt a wave of… _something_… course through him, as if stepping through a barrier, and as the feeling dissolved, a wall appeared. Harry, surprised and confused at it's sudden visibility, stopped, but Emera kept walking, staring straight through the solid barrier. Harry tried to shout out, but his voice, along with other sounds, couldn't be heard, as if all was muted. _Which it probably is_, Harry thought, the barrier he felt crossing his mind. Still in shocked, he watched helplessly as his soul-sister walked right into the wall. Then she was suddenly gone.

Bewildered and uncertain of the twist of happenings, he walked cautiously to the wall and cautiously stuck his hand through it. Then he was suddenly falling gracelessly to the ground, and Emera's hand, the only support he had, steadied him. He opened his mouth to thank her, but she gave him her no nonsense look, before straightening out his robes. Then she turned and walked through another wall, footsteps echoing around the room. Pursing his lips at her insistent silence, Harry followed her and found a hallway. He walked quickly to his female counterpart, and when she held her arm up. Upper arm parallel to her shoulder, forearm raised straight and her hand fisted up… it was a standard code and he stopped just like she signaled him to.

Drawing her favorite blade out of nowhere, she pricked her right ring finger and made the dagger disappear. She squeezed the wound to make the blood run faster, then spread her _a vita forza_ on the silver coated symbol on her chest. It glowed red, then, as Emera took his hand in hers, Harry felt a pull in his chest. It was as if he was being smothered and drained of energy while feeling pleasure so extreme he could barely think. The world around him swirled into gray, but then all of a sudden, it was colorful again. Harry lost the feelings invoked by the pull, and was quick enough to balance himself when he felt the solid ground beneath him.

Harry surveyed his surroundings quickly, relaxing as he saw the familiar faces. Harry let a blank mask settle over his face, muscles tensing as he prepared himself for what was to come. Lord Valerius was there, as well as his wife, and Vidar, with Hermione seated next to him. They occupied four of the twenty, stone carved seats that encompassed a large pentacle engraved on the floor. Three guards were with her; two were on her left side opposite Vidar and one was standing, positioned behind her. _To keep her safe_, Harry realized, _from me._ His attention, however, was drawn to the chair that was placed in the center of the giant pentacle. It was slightly higher than the others, and he realized with a small chill that he was to sit on it sometime soon.

Emera walked over to the circle and sat next on her father's right side. As she did, the Council of Thirteen appeared from behind Harry, filing in to occupy the other thirteen seats. Only one seat was left, and they looked to Harry, who stood with the blank mask attached firmly to his face. Instinct, as well as common sense, compelled him to sit on the last seat, the one that was different than the rest. Gathering all his courage, Harry walked to the chair, and lifted himself up to sit in it. He found a comfortable spot at once, and that was the only warning he had. Thick metal cuffs appeared and secured his wrists and upper arms, as well as his legs and neck, against the still comfortable chair. Barely a few seconds after his incarceration, with his mind already thinking on his third escape plan, Lady Fabiane stood and started the ceremony.

"**Harry James Evans Potter**," she looked at him, her Italian tongue rolling off words in a cold, blank tone that sent a shiver up his spine. "**You are here to be Changed.**" She gave him a challenging look. Harry returned it, leaving his face blank, yet his eyes burned with determination and daring. "**Do you accept the lineage of the _Immortals_ **_Era-Zana _Emera Ciana Vitalia Valerius, _La Bestia _Lord Marcus Earl Valerius, _Gemma di Guerra_ Lady Maeve Valerius y Vitalia, **and**_ Ergo-Caero _Vidar Vitalia,** whose blood shall serve as your life force? Whose flesh shall be your flesh, and whose throne shall be your heritage, should they be harmed during their time of rule?**" Her tone spoke of pride and eternal pain for him if he dared to answer naught.

Harry looked down at her to level his emerald gaze against her azure orbs. "**I do accept,**" he replied, contentment rushing through him as he did. He didn't know about the part of being taken as an heir… _Must speak with Emera after this,_ he mused, attention turning back on the people below him. Lady Fabiane had turned back to walk over to an altar-like table. _Must have materialized magically,_ he thought, not noticing it earlier. It was the only reason he could think of, seeing as it wasn't present when he walked in. Lady Fabiane placed her hand over it and a bright light shone through the thick marble. A dagger suddenly appeared through the slab of stone and Lady Fabiane caught it as it flew up into her hand.

She walked to Emera, and handed her the dagger. Harry noticed briefly that it was tinted in copper. When Emera touched it, the dagger shone once again and Harry turned away from the incredibly bright light. When he was able to look at it once more, it had turned into a _kris_, a knife with wickedly curved edges. It was also Emera's most favored choice of blade. The curves were covered in the same faint copper tints, and Emera stood. She knelt before the pentacle on the ground. She placed the _kris_ above her upturned wrist and cut deeply into the milky flesh. Harry had to wince at the large cut she made, and noticed that the copper edge of the knife glowed a red color. Harry watched, fascinated, as his soul-sister's source of life dripped heavily into the symbolic carving. Lady Fabiane began to mutter something in Latin.

Emera stood after a few seconds more, and she gave the _kris_ to Lady Fabiane. With another bright flash, it promptly returned to its original form, and Lady Fabiane handed it to Lord Marcus. It did the previous action, and turned into a small version of the Valerius sword. The pentacle on its hilt glared as the light from a nearby candle shone upon it. Lord Marcus did as Emera had, as well as Lady Maeve, whose silver blade had a falcon handle, and Vidar, whose blade turned into a magnificent replica of the Blade of Ra, the Egyptian Sun God.

Hermione was watching, fascinated. She never dreamed- well, all right she _had_ dreamed once, but just _once_- that she'd be able to see a Vampiric Ceremonial Changing. She'd certainly never thought it'd be Harry who was to be Changed though. Harry looked utterly nervous, his blank expression long gone. Then Lady Fabiane took the blade back and returned it to the altar, where it was absorbed once more. Suddenly the pentacle on the ground glowed, and the blood that was offered by the _Immortals_ began to spread, tracing the pattern embedded on the floor.

As Harry watched, he began to glow, unnoticed to those who did not look for it. But soon it held everyone's attention, and Harry felt the sudden sting of incredible pain penetrate his body. Before he could scream though, it was gone. Then it came back, and left again before Harry could make a sound. It continued as the light began to shine brighter, mimicking the blade that had risen from the marble altar. Then differently colored lightning began to spark around the light, followed by the sudden ring of loud silence echoed around them. Everyone didn't move a muscle… Well, everyone _Immortal_, that is.

Hermione instinctively covered her ears to the unheard sound, but at her movement, a bolt of navy colored lightning quickly sped to her, shocking her in the process. She let out a short shriek of pain, before flying against the wall. Every movement she made caused more navy bolts to attach themselves to her, and though the _Immortals_ truly wanted to help, they all realized that by moving, the lightning bolts would attack them too, and incinerate them, because they were already Vampires, thus rendering themselves useless to the brown-haired girl.

Harry never saw what was happening to his best friend, his eyes already closed in extreme pain. Fangs began to grow out, nails growing longer, body adjusting itself to perfection, and, when his eyes snapped open, his emerald eyes were specked with amber-gold and a few tints of red. Then, it mercifully stopped. And he succumbed to the abyss of darkness, Hermione following him in only seconds.

Vidar stood quickly and ran to fetch Hermione, Emera doing the same for Harry. Lord Marcus caught Lady Fabiane's eyes and said, "**This is…quite unexpected**."

Lady Fabiane shook her head. "**Don't**, **Marcus**," she said sternly. "**We do not know what will happen with the girl**. **This might have permanent side-effects**."

One of the council members shrugged. "**Who cares? She's a mortal. Just kill her**."

A wisp of air sliced through the room and whacked the council member to the wall. "**Touch her and you die**," Vidar snarled, his fangs growing out as his eyes glowed amber. Everyone froze, even Emera, who had Harry in a fireman's carry. Vidar wrapped his arms around Hermione, cradling her against his body possessively, hiding her from view.

"Damn," Emera breathed. She took a deep breath in their general direction and exhaled heavily. Hermione now carried Vidar's scent; as a vampire, she was his _Childe_, his… property, in every right, as a daughter, a sister, a lover, a friend, whatever Vidar wanted, she would become, because he was a part of her now. _She must have absorbed most of Vidar's essence,_ Emera thought to herself. It was the only way to explain his sudden possessiveness for the girl. _Not that he wasn't possessive before,_ she thought once again.

Vidar bared his fangs once more, before adjusting his grip on his new _Childe_. He carried her out of the room, body tensing incase someone wanted to attack the new vampire. No one moved a muscle until his scent lightened up. Then they all looked to one another, before turning their heads to Harry. Emera sighed. "**This will complicate things**."

Lady Fabiane nodded. "**Vidar knows his duties as a Sire**, **Emera**," she said, "**And you know what yours are**." Emera nodded and righted her hold on Harry, before she walked out of the room. Harry stirred slightly, his eyes opening to reveal his normal shade of green.

Emera grimaced as he mumbled, "Hermione…" Then he fell back asleep again. She sighed once again.

"Damn."

* * *

**_Author's Note:_**

_Just a quick survey. Would you prefer a HarryOC pairing and a HermioneOC pairing, or shall I continue with the HarryHermioneship? Please note that I shall only take your opinions into consideration. This note does not mean that I shall follow what you want entirely. I just need a few more opinions. Thank you.  
-Lady Valerius _


	9. Chapter 9

_**Harry Potter  
&  
The Children of the Night**_  
**-by Lady Nichola Valerius

* * *

**_Previously, on Harry Potter and the Children of the Night:_

_**Vidar bared his fangs once more, before adjusting his grip on his new Childe. He carried her out of the room, body tensing incase someone wanted to attack the new vampire. No one moved a muscle until his scent lightened up. Then they all looked to one another, before turning their heads to Harry. Emera sighed. "This will complicate things."**_

_**Lady Fabiane nodded. "Vidar knows his duties as a Sire, Emera," she said, "And you know what yours are." Emera nodded and righted her hold on Harry, before she walked out of the room. Harry stirred slightly, his eyes opening to reveal his normal shade of green.**_

_**Emera grimaced as he mumbled, "Hermione…" Then he fell back asleep again. She sighed once again.**_

"**_Damn."

* * *

_**

**Chapter 9  
Hermione's Awakening**

Eyes swept over the prone female on the silken sheets, the blue orbs resting upon an ugly purple bruise that marred the otherwise flawless tanned skin. He glared at the blemish, as he could do nothing else to vent his frustration silently, for he wanted his charge to rest peacefully. It was the least he could do to compensate the dreadful mistake he had made to her, for in his mind, it was his fault she had been Changed in the first place. He had not told her what to expect and what to do during the ceremony, and thus, to him, it was his mistake. 'Twas a dreadful mistake indeed. His hand twitched into motion, caressing the bruise as he held in his magic. Part of him wanted to weave it's spell and heal the discoloration, but his efforts would only be in vain, for he could only do this when she was awake and ready to consciously accept him as her _Sire_. He sighed; even now; he could not truly understand the reasoning behind Vampiric Healing.

"**Cousin?**" Vidar whirled around to the source of the sound. Emera stepped away from the shadows and into the moon's light. She gave him a small smile, before turning to close the balcony doors where she had entered. The older vampire tensed as his cousin's eyes flickered over to the motionless form on the bed. Emera caught his tension and backed away. "**I won't hurt her,**" she said, bowing her head slightly in submission, "**I only wondered about her health.**" Vidar narrowed his eyes and sniffed in her direction. He relaxed when he found no deceit.

He sighed. "**Sorry about that,**" he said to her, "**I'm just…**"

"**I know, Vidar**," Emera said when he drifted off, "**I know.**" Vidar looked at her, eyes expressing his self-doubt. "**It was a long time ago, Vidar**," Emera said, sensing his apprehension as it permeated the room's atmosphere. "**Let her go.**"

"**I can't**," Vidar replied, his voice shallow as he remembered his late _Childe_.

_Flashback_

"**_Gina! No, get back!_**"

_A predatory smile crossed her full lips as she watched her **Sire** kill off the rest of the spies. Blood spilled haphazardly on the green blades of grass as Vidar pulled the mortal's head off his neck. Her fangs grew out and her eyes turned a bright amber color as Vidar looked up at her, his pale cheek and neck tainted with strips of blood. She purred her arousal, approaching him slowly, white-blonde hair blowing back. Vidar smirked at her, smelling her scent and immediately knowing what she needed. He grabbed her when she was near enough and spun her around, slamming her onto a tree. He wiped the blood off his cheek and trailed it on her throat, where he sucked on it. Gina purred once again, pulling his hair back and biting his neck, drawing his own blood. Vidar growled, yanking her off his throat and sinking his own fangs into her pulse point. _

"**_Vidar!_**"

_End Flashback_

"**She was my first love, Emera**," he said, eyes lowered. "**She wasn't just some girl to me, not just a girl to bring to my bed. She was my best friend, my lover, a woman who was hotter than a spitting fire and tenderer than a mother… She was-**" He chuckled suddenly before continuing. "**She was to me what Harry will become for you, Emera. A- a partner in crime,**" Vidar tried to explain"**Though, it's so much deeper than that**_…_** She**_…_**She was my other half, my _Childe_, Emera…**"

There was silence for a while, as Emera processed his words and Vidar struggled to contain his emotions. Then- "**You loved her very much, didn't you?**" Emera asked. Vidar barely heard the emotion that weaved through her words, but he caught it nonetheless.

He gave her a small, brief smile. "**It's what I've been trying to tell you, Emera. A _Childe_… I can't explain it very well, but they somehow wiggle themselves into your life and eventually, you get used to them there. You become their teacher, their parent, sibling, and lover at the same time. And Emera,**" Vidar's voice took on a warning tone as he said, "**You can't have a family without love. As their _Sire_, they will love you.**" Vidar looked into her eyes, and he saw the acceptance in her emerald gaze. He gave her another smile and drew her into his arms. "**You teach him and I will teach her.**"

"**Everything we know,**" Emera assured him. Vidar's gaze returned to his _Childe_.

"**Of course**."

* * *

An emotionally tired, but nevertheless alert, Emera walked back into her room, a moving shadow that crept in the dark. At once, her eyes swept across the room, seeking intruders, and when the emerald gaze saw no threat, they immediately landed on the bed. "Harry…" She went over to his side, brushing back the bangs that fell upon his forehead. She sighed. "Still sleeping," she murmured to the wind, "He must be really powerful then, for him to lie this long." She walked over to the shelves that lined the room's southern walls and plucked out _Tithe_ by Holly Black. Fictional, yes, but it was the only book she hadn't finished reading yet. After this one, she would have to travel for new books again. She waved her hand at the fireplace and lively, dancing tongues of orange flickered to life. She settled onto the comfy armchair in front of the fire and began to read. 

No more than 10 pages into the book, her eyes stopped absorbing the words on the crisp pages and traveled to the bed once again. She sighed once more, before pinning her gaze on the fireplace. The tongues of fire appeared to reach out to her, and she smiled softly, her eyes turning an amber color as she summoned her powers, calling for the blades of fire. They obeyed and flew to her hand, forming a small ball of fire. She played with the orange dancers, weaving them around her fingers and pretending that the blades of fire were her fingernails, shortening and elongating the orange dancers. Then she drew upon the small ball to create a fire _kris_. She chuckled softly, before gently sending the ball back into the fireplace. She bit her lip, wondering then if Harry would also receive this gift.

"Emera?" From their perch on the fireplace, the amber orbs tore away from the dancing flames to look at her _Childe_. The relief flooding through her being sent her into action, flying onto the bed, and holding onto her bewildered charge, acting as if she would never let go. "Oomph! Emera, what-Mmph…!"

She pulled away from his lips. "I was so worried," Emera said, emotion in her voice for a change. Harry looked confused. "You've been asleep for a week… The longest sleeping period was mine too so it _would_ make sense that you inherited many of my traits, but mine lasted for only four days, so I panicked- Mmph!" Harry pulled her back to him, reciprocating her previous actions and effectively ending her rant. _It's rather becoming of her_, Harry thought as he nibbled on her lower lip, _although I would have to wonder why…_ Just then, Emera moved her hand high onto his lap. _Later_… Harry finished his thoughts, then turned his attentions to his _Sire_.

* * *

_What? Where am I?_ _What's that smell?_ Slowly, she opened her eyes, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room. _Nighttime_, she thought, seeing the full moon high in the sky. A wolf howled into the night. _No, werewolf,_ her mind whispered once again. Confusion settled with in her. _How do I know that?_

A shift in the air alerted her to another's presence in the room, but she did not tense. She felt safe with him. _What? Why? Him?_ A gentle touch on her hand, and her eyes locked with amber. She breathed in, because to her knowledge, oxygen was still a necessity for her. He trailed his fingertips against her temple, his lips against hers. "**Mine**," he whispered softly, and she knew it.

She exhaled, the unused air made her breath cold as it brushed his skin. "**Yours**."

* * *

As the morning sun gently crept across Harry's face, Emera opened her eyes, startled. She moved across the room faster than the human eye could see and closed the robe she grabbed from the _armoire_. Harry woke up to the sound of the door opening. "**What is it, Adaeze**?" he heard Emera say. 

"**Lady Fonseka has arrived, Lady Valerius**," the black vampire said, bowing her head in respect.

"**Alright, Adaeze, thank you. Tell father that I shall be down, and that Harry has awoken.**"

"**Yes, Lady,**" she said, bowing once more before leaving. Emera closed the door, sighing before turning back to the bed. She was surprised to find Harry awake, watching her through sleepy eyes.

"Good morning, cara," Harry said as she approached him. Emera kissed him her greetings, and he was startled to receive her thoughts. _What the hell is Fonseka doing here? What do I tell Vidar? Is Hermione awake from her coma already? When do I take that damn Asian pest to her? Harry should let me go now or I won't be able to shower…_ However inviting that last thought was, Harry's brain had stopped processing Emera's other thoughts when he heard Hermione's name. He immediately pulled back and faced his _Sire._ "What happened to Hermione? What coma?"

Emera's face was a picture of surprise and confusion as she registered his questions. "Oh, gods, Harry, I forgot… I forgot that you don't know…" Her voice held a tone of regret and guilt. Harry's mind went into overload.

"_What happened_?" he stressed, panic clutching his heart. He pulled away from Emera, clenching his hands into fists to relieve the tension forming in his body. Emera took notice of his actions, and was touched. He had pulled away to prevent himself from injuring her. Her chest tightened with deep emotions and she bit her tongue before speaking.

"She- she was Changed… When you were undergoing the ritual, she moved and it attracted the raw magic to her. She received most of Vidar's essence-"

"And now, she's Vidar's _Childe_…" Harry finished for her, his mind suddenly empty in shock. Then his thoughts began to flow, almost overpowering him. "Oh gods… What have I done?"

Emera's eyes widened. "Harry…" she breathed out, "Oh, **caro**, you did nothing! You couldn't! You were undergoing your own change, you didn't know!" Her voice had a tinge of desperation in it. She did _not_ want her _Childe_ to have regrets over his _Change_.

"No!" he cried, startling Emera, "I shouldn't have asked her to come…if I hadn't…"

"But you did," Emera said, trying to be herself again, the Emera that Harry knew, not Harry's _Sire_. They'll get to that later. "And there is a reason for everything, Harry. Accept it, or not, Hermione is now a Vampire. She is part of this Clan, and she is part of Vidar. No amount of disbelief, or guilt," she added, "will change that." Silence reigned in the room for a few moments. Then Emera, softening her tone, spoke once again. "The most you can do right now, Harry, is support her. She is still asleep, in a coma, resting as her Magic adjusts. It means that she will be powerful, as a Vampire and as a Witch. But when she awakes, I'm sure that she will be confused as to what has to be done. That's where you come in. Help her learn how to control herself."

"How?" Harry scoffed softly; still reeling from the news of Hermione's change. "I barely know anything." This realization brought a slight tightness in his chest.

"But what you know will help her, _comfort_ her," Emera said. Harry sighed.

"I don't know if I can comfort myself right now…I feel like it's my fault. She wasn't ready!"

Emera grew silent for a few moments. "Everything has a place. Everything has a reason for being," she said finally.

"The problem with that," Harry said softly, "is we don't know what those reasons are." Emera sighed.

"I'm sorry, but I'm confused too. Even this event has the council baffled. That's why we called in Andrea, to help us See."

"Who?"

Emera sighed again. "Lady Andrea Fonseka is from Malaysia's _Fonseka Clan_. They lead the Malaysian Vampires. Andrea is one of the "princesses" of their clan, so every time she's here, she has to be treated royally. The other clan members tolerate her, but Vidar and I don't like her. She's a bitch, with a capital B." Harry smiled at her vehemence.

"So why her?" he asked. "If you hate her so much then why not call another Seer?"

"Because she's the most accurate of them all. That's why they dubbed her as one of the Malaysian Princesses even though she's just the King's niece." Emera rolled her eyes as she said this, then looked at the time. "I have to go shower. Andrea doesn't like to be kept waiting." Harry nodded, not moving from his perch on the bed. Emera rolled her eyes once more, before pulling him to the bathroom.

* * *

Moans filled the room, accompanied by the sound of flesh slapping against flesh. A gasp. "**Vidar!**" 

He, too, gasped, the sound muffled by her shoulder. "**Oh god…**" He kissed her, deep, forceful, passionate, and she accepted it, opening her lips to let him enter and plunder her mouth ruthlessly. She grasped his shoulders, moving against him as he rode out his release, adding to her own climax. Soon they collapsed onto the bed, fully sated and tired, their bodies having worked through the night. He rolled over, pulling her close to him.

She smiled at him, a sleepy but satisfied smile, and he felt his emotions crashing into him for the millionth time. He sighed, his hand tracing symbols on her arms. "**I love touching you,**" he said, "**You feel like heaven to touch…**" She giggled.

"**I want to hold you so much…**" she continued for him. He smiled back at her, entwining their hands together. She looked at their joined hands. "**I accept it, you know,**" she said to him, looking into his eyes, "**I want you to be my _Sire._**"

Relief appeared in his eyes. "**Thank you,**" he whispered, kissing her cheek, hand cupping her temple as his magic healed her bruise. Hermione sighed, the dull ache in her head dissipating. She moaned her appreciation, kissing his shoulder. "**Goddess**," he breathed, kissing her once again.

"**Yes, I am**," Hermione teased jokingly, her eyes dropping shut.

"**Sleepy goddess**," Vidar commented, but she didn't hear it as she had fallen asleep once again. Vidar smiled, satisfied and happy. _My god, I **am** happy._ He chuckled to himself, before falling asleep.

* * *

"**Andrea, please**," Emera called out, "**Calm down, or else we'll have to restrain you.**" Andrea gasped. 

"**You wouldn't dare!**" she said, scandalized. "**I should have you beheaded for that!**"

"**I should have had you thrown in the dungeons the minute you got here, but did I do that? No, I did not**," Emera snapped at her, fully frustrated. Vidar chuckled loudly, Harry looked amused, and Hermione bit her lip to hide her reaction. "**Now, your plane leaves in 50 minutes. You either go there with the escorts, or you go there alone.**"

"**I want _you_** **to bring me, Emera. I am your _guest_.**"

"**You are not _my _guest. You are a guest of my father. You want an escort? I'll give you that. You want me to escort you? Sorry, not gonna happen**." Andrea scoffed indignantly, but said nothing. She knew no one won against _Era-Zana_ Valerius. Emera looked to the handsome men near the doors and nodded. They came forward and took Andrea to the limo that was waiting outside. Emera sighed as the Malaysian Seer finally left. "**Thank god!**"

"**Emera…**" her father chastised, "**You do not treat Lady Andrea like that next time.**"

"**Yes, Father**." Vidar coughed loudly and Emera kicked him underneath the table. "**Come on. We need to start training Hermione and Harry.**"

The foursome said their goodbyes to the council and left for the training hall. "**Now… The first thing a new Vampire needs to learn**," she said to them as they walked, "**is how to control their blood lust**." Hermione licked her lips at the mention of blood, an action that Emera saw. "**Vidar have you fed Hermione?**" she snapped. Vidar glared at her.

"**Of course not!**" he said hotly. "**I'm not an idiot, Emera, geez!**"

Emera rolled her eyes. "**Of course you're not**," she murmured, placing her palm against the ID pad and confirming her identity. The doors opened, and both Harry and Hermione drooled at the sight. "**Like I said, we're not training with those yet.**" Disappointment rolled of the new Vampires and they turned their back on the weapons display. "**If you learn fast, then we'll get to that soon.**" The two exchanged a glance. _We'll learn fast,_ they thought mutually. "**Here we go,**" Emera announced, opening the door. And then the chaos began.


End file.
